AC Milan boss Sergio Conceicao has jokingly ruled Zlatan Ibrahimovic out of his team’s crunch game against Napoli in Serie A on Sunday.
Conceicao has come under pressure at Milan with speculation mounting that he will be sacked by the Rossoneri. Milan return to action after the international break with a huge game against Serie A title-chasers Napoli. Manager Antonio Conte has been touted as a potential target for Milan if Conceicao departs, and a victory for Napoli on Sunday could spell the end of the Rossoneri’s hopes of a top four finish.
Ibrahimovic’s future has also come under scrutiny but he has been spotted back at the club ahead of Sunday’s match for the first time in weeks. Conceicao was asked about the Milan legend and joked he wouldn’t be picking him for the game against Napoli as he acknowledged his team face a tough test.
He told reporters with a smile: “[Ibrahimovic] can’t play tomorrow, he’s out. We are in contact with the management every day. We work in a healthy and positive environment. I only need to talk about the players, nothing else.
“I have faced Antonio [Conte] many times as a player, but this is my first time as a coach. Tomorrow’s result is crucial; we must work to win, knowing the quality of our opponents. I depend on the results. I am not a child who needs his father to say he loves him. I know the objectives: Coppa Italia, fourth place, and the Supercoppa we already won. Of course, the Champions League exit was a disappointment. I don’t need reassurances, I’m here to do my best. Antonio and I share the same passion for this job, but it goes beyond football. We both live life intensively.”
The Rossoneri face a crucial week with Sunday’s fixture against Napoli followed by a Coppa Italia semi-final first leg against Inter at San Siro.
