Sergio Conceicao Milan

Conceicao confident Milan can have ‘strong’ season finale but admits ‘we are disappointed’

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Sergio Conceicao spoke to the media after AC Milan’s 1-1 draw against Inter and stated that they ‘lost two points’. However, he also expressed optimism that the remaining four months of the season will be strong. 

Milan broke the deadlock just before half-time through Tijjani Reijnders, who made the most of a loose ball in the penalty box, and the rest of the game was a matter of counter-attacks for the Rossoneri. They had a few half-chances, but ultimately succumbed to Inter’s pressure.

After the game, Sergio Conceicao spoke to Sky (via MilanNews) and shared his analysis of Milan’s performance. He admitted that the Rossoneri are disappointed with the late equaliser, while highlighting positives and negatives from the game.

This Milan today contradicts itself in a positive sense. Did you see the foundation you referred to yesterday today? Despite the draw…

“We coaches see both positive and negative things. This is the attitude we want. The players were good at interpreting what we asked for, Inter are a strong team that create a lot of difficulties for the opponent. We also had to explore their weaknesses.

“We are disappointed, we lost two points. You could see all the joy they had at the end. But in the end, the draw was the right result, the individual mistakes of the young players cost us dearly. The next match with the transfer window closed we will be more relaxed and from this match, we can start again with four strong months.”

What did you say to the guys in the locker room?

“I said a bit of everything. I did a mix of positive things and things that didn’t go well, but it stays between us. They accept what we proposed, it’s not easy because there are moments when they don’t have the ball and it’s difficult to make them understand it from the video.

“The aggression that I want without the ball is achieved through training, I haven’t had time to do it. Their characteristics aren’t even these, we had to understand the right area to press and then restart strong. There were moments that I liked and others not so much.”

What is the characteristic you would like to teach these kids the most?

“The mental aspect was there, now there must be continuity. And this is not negotiable, if there is no joy in playing football then it is not good. In terms of game dynamics, something is missing, we tried to press higher and we opened up spaces that I do not want.

“When you attack well you are prepared to recover the ball high and you do not suffer so much from the opponent, and also when you defend well it shows: Tammy made a good defensive recovery and we scored. This is what we want, even 15-20 meters further forward.”

Why the change at half-time from Bennacer to Jimenez?

“We suffered a lot in midfield. Jimenez then also played as fifth man in defence, in midfield I put more muscle. It’s not that Isma isn’t good, but with Musah we had more balance without the ball. Then with the ball, Bennacer has great quality. Our first line of pressure was three, and with a midfield of two against their three I made choices.”

Roma are up next for Milan in the Coppa Italia quarter-final and perhaps the fans will get to see the new signing Santiago Gimenez. The striker underwent his medical today and only the official announcement is missing before it’s all done.

Tags AC Milan Inter Sergio Conceicao

16 Comments

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  1. A lot of lost points.

    Torino home 2 points
    Cagliari x2 4 points
    Genoa 2 points
    And let’s forget all other games. That’s 8 points. Let’s also forget that Milan played very bad this season.

    It is very difficult to say or predict anything in Milan serie a this season but they can’t blame no one.
    Fonseca tried Conceicao tried. Management released Calabria Morata and they bring perspective forward and Walker.

    We will see.

  2. His last double substitutions was not necessary and cost Milan dearly, all it did was crowd the area with no particular pattern to Milan defending!! Didn’t expect to see samu in this game, it also shows that the bench don’t offer quality options for the coach!!!

    1. I think he had to do it as our players were exhausted and Inter has brought in some fresh wingers, definitely not enough depth in our team but wouldn’t blame him for the changes

  3. I wonder if Conceicao will explore a 3 man back line more. It gives us alot more stability:

    5-2-3 when defending. 3-4-3 when attacking. Theo and now Walker wont get left out 1 vs 1 and can press harder with a CB supporting them stopping shots and crosses more efficiently.

    Also we arent left 2 vs 2 or 2 vs 3 when we lost the ball in the buildup stage. Leao and Pulisic can move in central from the flanks which is when they are at their best and Walker and Theo comes rushing along the flanks filling the empyt space they leave. Gimenez can focus on just being in the box.

    We will also get alot more counterattack chances with deeper 5-2-3 defense and Leao especially seems to be at his best then. Pulisic will also benefit from all that open space.

    Maginan
    Thiaw-Tomori-Pavlovic
    Walker-Reijnders-Fofana-Theo
    Pulisic-Gimenez-Leao

    I think what 11 would perform much better then the 4-2-3-1 we play now when we just use Musah as a wingback anyway rather then central midfielder and move Walker (Emerson before) in central…

  4. Things are going to get better quickly with walker there. Milan’s problems revolve around a lack of trust in the defense. Everyone is anxious about attacking and possibly losing the ball to a counter attack.

    Tomori’s performance today and Walker’s arrival will change that. The next four months will be Milan clawing back some positions.

  5. I don’t want to see anymore bone headed substitutions. Zeroli should be given a chance. He’s significantly better than Terraciano. Terraciano is the worst player on the team.

    Conceicao has 4 months to save the season and his job. There are no more excuses. A lot of money has been spent, half of it badly, but this is easily a top 3 team in Serie A.

  6. Sounds like Conceicau will follow Fonseca at the end of this season.

    But i can’t fully blame him since he came to clean up Fonseca and the management messed up with very short resources.

  7. Yes blame a man that has won all his life.

    Even it take good ingredients to make any food sweet.

    Players and depth makes s good coach.

    Inter without dimarco will easily win a match or laurato or barella.

    But Milan without leao is doomed or theo
    And you say the coach is not good.

    Don’t forget that acellotti flopped while he was at everton. He ran at the call of Madrid.

    Good players makes a Coach.

    Sergio is a 100 times better than Fonseca. Are we playing highest touches of the ball win the match or scoring the highest goal. And conceding less.

    Ruben amori in Manchester is not having a good season. But the results are clear in his previous team. When they have the resources the results are sure.

    So keep whining. No good coach will take Milan without an assurance of quality signings. That’s why they didn’t go for conte. Cause he will demand, as he did Napoli.

    Look at our sub.. who can you bet your money on to come in and change the game or leao not performing who can you replace him with.

    Let’s be more reasonable to things than sentimental. If we had Sergio from the start, Emerson won’t be here or chuku. Not will he allow salamakers to go to Roma. Or kalulu after seeing them all in preseason.

    But no. the coach is at fault…. Weak

  8. for me it was very lucky draw. I know that we lost goal in last minute, but to be fair AC Milan was much weaker than Inter. a lot of work before us. I think that the squad of Inter is much stronger. we don’t have so many top players. and Leao fails as a star of the club. Leao play like an average player, don’t make visible difference in game.

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