“We Are Not At Our Best Yet, But We Are Much Better"

Written By Onyeka Daniel

In the aftermath of their UEFA Champions League exit, Italian giants, AC Milan will now try to focus squarely on the League where they’re still off in the top four race, hence they will have to play catch up with the Juventus and Lazio who currently occupy the position.

More Details

For their manager, he admitted that the day after their elimination was tough, but he insisted that even the costly defeat against Feyenoord gave him confirmation of his players’ evolution. The Rossoneri are forced to finish in the top four if they want to take part in Europe’s major competition next season, and their manager is aware that their upcoming Serie A trip to Torino will be decisive.

LATEST POSTS

Hence, he has urged his players to approach the match as if it were a Champions League final. “Without a doubt [it’s a decisive match],” Conceiçao said at a pre-match press conference. “The opponent is tough; they were on a streak of seven positive results before losing to Bologna. Historically, it’s a difficult match for Milan.”

“But we must stay focused, just like this morning, also tomorrow. The attitude has to be the same: tomorrow is our Champions League final. Every match must be approached this way. They have very interesting players, like Ricci, for example. In the way they approach each game, I always see a team that wants to achieve a positive result.”

“So, we have to be at our best. We need to take control of the game. In football, there is good and bad. After every match, we start over and work towards the next one. The elimination cost us a lot, and the next day was tough. Today, I saw the group truly focused. We knew we were stronger than Feyenoord, we had prepared well for the match, but due to certain episodes and details, we lost.”

“I had said that football is simple: score goals and don’t concede them. But within this simplicity lies the complexity of football in order to make it simple; it requires a lot of work on different levels. It’s important to focus on these details and help the players evolve in them. I’m starting to see an interesting evolution, and the last match gave me this confirmation.”

“There’s no time, partly our fault because we could have been in the Round of 16. Now we focus on fourth place and the Coppa Italia. I saw the guys in good shape today, very, very good.” The first half against Feyenoord saw Milan failing to capitalise on their supremacy despite having all of their star strikers on the pitch.

For Conceiçao, he remarked that ‘balance’ is his ultimate goal, even with a highly offensive formation. “Balance is what I want for the team, and we are improving,” the coach continued. “We are not at our best yet, but we are much better. I want a higher press, more aggression. I like a compact, high, and tight team. We can play this way, but with the right balance.”

“Walker is unavailable. Pulisic doesn’t have 90 minutes in his legs, Gimenez is improving every day but is not yet at the level we want him to be. We are working on it, at least for the style of play I want; he needs to be intense for the full 90 minutes. I found some players struggling in this regard, as well as some injuries.”

“Playing every three days, always in decisive matches, because here, if you draw, it’s like losing—always being on the edge, it’s not easy to manage.” He also explained that he promotes honesty between players in the locker room when things get complicated, adding that he’s not thinking about the end of the season.

“I like it when players tell each other what they think,” the Portuguese boss stated. “You are a true friend if you tell your teammate what you really feel—there has to be that honesty among them. This also helps them grow. I prefer a harsh truth over a nice lie that hides a problem. I’m not someone who calculates things; I don’t like thinking about the end of the season.”

“I live each day with great intensity. I take my work home, and my family isn’t happy about it, but that’s how it is.“I don’t always do things perfectly, but we work with great passion every day. Yesterday, we prepared today’s training session, we analyzed videos—that’s my main concern. “Today marks 31 years since my mother passed away. I was 18 and had lost my father two years earlier.”

“If these are the difficulties of football, then I’m not afraid of anything. So, I keep moving forward on my path.” He further added. Furthermore, the former Porto manager revealed that he talked with Theo Hernandez about his mistakes that damaged Milan in the UCL, but he has no intention to rule him out of the squad for the game against Torino for this reason.

The Rossoneri were reduced to ten men at the start of the second half after the France international picked up a second yellow card for simulation, leading his side to lose control of a match they were dominating, having equalised on aggregate after less than one minute into the opening half. His dismissal proved costly.

It was just the latest controversial moment of his season as it has been marked by under-par displays and criticism of his attitude, but Conceição insisted he’s an asset to the club. “About Theo, I can say that I like questions about football, not about hair…,” he said. “For me, it’s enough that they are professionals and give everything for the club.”

“I spoke about it at the end of the match: Theo is an asset to the club, he has brought joy to the fans in the past. He knows he did something that put the team in a difficult position, and we talked about it in the locker room. I have also made mistakes… He is one of the players available to play tomorrow, to answer the question.” He replied.

Read Also: The Major Culprits In Serie A’s Probable Worse Outing In The UEFA Champions League

Recent reports which emerged in the aftermath of Milan’s Champions League exit suggested that the club has decided to stop contract extension talks with the left-back, who is presumably bound to leave the San Siro next summer with links to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich already established in the past, while the player rejected a move to Como in January after Milan had accepted their €50m offer.

Do you have a story tip?
Kindly Email: keepup@bettitude.com

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube