AC Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao claimed the talk of his future isn’t important at the moment, and that he is not a fan of the new formation.
While it is difficult to surge up the table so late in the season, Milan certainly took another step in the right direction by beating Venezia 2-0 at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo on Sunday afternoon.
The goals came at the beginning and the end of the match. The first was scored by Christian Pulisic who slotted home after an assist from Youssouf Fofana, then Santiago Gimenez made sure of the points deep into added time.
What will be most pleasing for Milan is the fact that they kept a third clean sheet in four games, showing that the switch to a three-man defence has improved the resilience of the rearguard.
Conceicao spoke to DAZN after the final whistle to give his thoughts on the game, with his comments relayed by MilanNews.
Today, Milan started well, then dropped but the team wanted to bring home the victory. The team had the desire…
“Correct analysis. It wasn’t easy after the derby to have the concentration that we’ve lacked in these months. Competitive concentration is fundamental. It’s not easy to come here, it’s a team that puts a lot of pressure, that has its qualities, that plays directly, has fast players up front.
“Even with the post-derby atmosphere, having this desire to take the three points. Then it’s unusual to play here, there’s the boat, only the palm trees are missing (smiles). It was fundamental to win today to give solidity to the victory in the Cup semi-final. It was very important for us.”
How much do the team want to win their second trophy this season? Fofana said that they are the only team that can win two domestic trophies, almost as if to say that it is more important than a top four finish…
“I really don’t agree with Fofana, we are at Milan and it is not more important than the top four places. Here the objectives are clear, then there are years that don’t go well like this one. Then there is still something to win and for Milan we live a bit of these titles.
“It is important to give different images from the ones we have given in these months. We are finding the balance that we always talked about and it is fundamental on a technical level.
“Di Francesco also said that we are very strong on an attacking level, on a defensive level so we had to improve something. I am not a fan of this formation and this system, but I also have to adapt to the Italian league and to the team and the characteristics of the players in front of me.”
How is Gimenez doing after the goal?
“He knows he’s not at his best. He told me right after the game that the game didn’t go well but the goal was important. That’s important: putting positive things in, not going for the negative. He has to look at what he has to do, how he can work for the team with the ball and without the ball.
“Then the goals definitely come because he’s good and the group knows his qualities. We have faith in him and in all the others.”.
Are the defensive hierarchies defined?
“We prepare for the game and I think about the players who can give me the chance to win games from the start. Then I always talk about the importance of the bench and the group, they are really very good from this point of view. Sometimes even too much, they are too nice.”
Does Conceicao want to stay Milan?
“Conceiçao is not important at the moment, Milan is important. I work many hours a day with my staff. Then there is also losing games like what happened in the past months, in some really bad games my players and I don’t see ourselves in these games.
“So we are working hard. In a month or so I will also say what I want. It could be that I also have other thoughts, like going on holiday to the Algarve in Portugal for ten years, I don’t know (smiles).”
