AC Milan manager Sergio Conceicao praised his side for backing up a midweek Cup win over Inter Milan with a victory at Venezia on Sunday rather than take things easy, and joked that he may decide to take a holiday himself rather than remain on as coach.
Milan advanced to the Coppa Italia final with a 3-0 semi-final second leg win on Wednesday, and while their Serie A campaign has little left to offer Conceicao’s side, they came away with all three points with a 2-0 success over Venezia.
“It wasn’t easy after the derby to have the concentration that we have lacked in recent months,” Conceicao told DAZN.
“Competitive focus is key. It’s not easy to come here, it’s a team that presses a lot, that has its qualities, that plays directly, has fast players up front.
“Then it’s special to play here, you arrive by boat, only the palm trees are missing and you feel like you’re on holiday. It was essential to win today to give solidity to the victory in the semi-finals of the Cup.”
Santiago Gimenez, a February signing from Feyenoord who made a blistering start to his Milan career, scoring three times in his first four games but has since struggled, came off the bench to score a late goal to seal the win at Venezia.
“He’s aware that he is not at his best. He told me immediately after the game that the game had not gone well but the goal was important,” Conceicao said.
Santiago Gimenez, a February signing from Feyenoord who made a blistering start to his Milan career, scoring three times in his first four games but has since struggled, came off the bench to score a late goal to seal the win at Venezia.
“He’s aware that he is not at his best. He told me immediately after the game that the game had not gone well but the goal was important,” Conceicao said.
“He has to look at what he needs to do, how he can work for the team with and without the ball.
“Then the goals certainly come because he is good and the group knows his qualities.”
Milan remained ninth in the standings and well off the pace in the hunt for European places, with Conceicao’s future at the club constantly under scrutiny, but the manager has little interest in that topic for now.
“Conceicao is not important right now, Milan is important,” the manager said.
“I work many hours a day with my staff. Then, you can lose games as has happened in recent months.
“In a month or so, I too will say what I want. It may be that I too have other thoughts, such as going on holiday in the Algarve in Portugal for 10 years, I don’t know.”
