Conceicao: ‘I got angry with Milan, not here to make friends’ | OneFootball

Sergio Conceicao admits he got ‘angry’ with Milan at half-time before the Supercoppa Italiana comeback against Juventus. ‘I am not here to make friends, I am here to win.’

It was the perfect debut for the new boss, who had only been appointed on Monday after the surprise dismissal of Paulo Fonseca and was suffering from flu symptoms giving him a high fever.

Kenan Yildiz had opened the scoring for Juventus in Riyadh and there seemed to be few real chances for the Rossoneri until Christian Pulisic was brought down by Manuel Locatelli and converted the resulting penalty.

Just four minutes later, Yunus Musah’s cross was deflected in off Federico Gatti to turn the game around completely for the 2-1 victory. After the final whistle, the Rossoneri players gathered in a circle to celebrate.

“Football is passion and excitement, these are wonderful moments,” Conceicao told Sport Mediaset.

“They deserved this win for the second half performance, whereas in the first I saw the same kind of Milan that played a few weeks ago, with the players doubtful in defence, too tired moving the ball around, getting the timing of the pressing wrong.

“At half-time, we changed a few things, looked each other in the eyes and the players had to realise what they needed to do in order to win the game. They needed to do what we had prepared, then it is my responsibility if we lose 2-0 or 3-0, so they were truly courageous in the second half and it was totally different to the first.

“I am happy, but we have done nothing yet, we are in the Final and must prepare to play Inter.”

Rafael Leao was out injured and replaced by Alex Jimenez, but will the Portugal international be available to play in the Supercoppa Italiana Final on Monday against Inter?

“We’ll see, I don’t think he will be training fully with the rest of the players tomorrow, but the day after maybe.”

In a curious twist of fate, Sergio Conceicao’s son Francisco was originally in the starting XI for Juventus, but was forced to pull out with a muscular problem in the warm-up. They did meet up after the final whistle with a warm hug.

“I was happier because we won, he was sad because they lost, but that is life in football!”

Sergio Conceicao let anger loose on Milan at half-time

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – JANUARY 03: Sergio Conceicao, Head Coach of AC Milan, gives the team instructions during the Italian Super Cup Semi-Final match between AC Milan and Juventus at Al Awwal Park on January 03, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

The turning point in the match was perhaps when Juventus took Dusan Vlahovic off for Nico Gonzalez, whereas Milan introduced Tammy Abraham and allowed Alvaro Morata to drop deeper.

“We did that in the second half and clearly we can do it more. Morata can drop deeper, while our wingers Jimenez and Pulisic didn’t do what I wanted in the first half, so we were practically non-existent in attack,” added Conceicao.

“I played with a 4-4-2 for many years, we prepared something different to what we did in the first half, but we can have two strikers together in future.”

Check the Football Italia Player Ratings for Juventus 1-2 Milan

This already feels like a very different approach to the father-son style man-management of Stefano Pioli, who was in the stands this evening, but also the soft diplomacy of Fonseca.

“During those five minutes in the locker room, I certainly didn’t give the team kisses and hugs. In fact, I got quite angry, because they did not do what I had asked for or prepared. I see a group of players who are humble, at times they lack some determination to go further, but that can come with time,” confessed Conceicao.

“Players need a kind word, but also sometimes a harsh word. I will be honest, I am not the nicest coach who likes to hug and reassure my players, I tend to get angrier more than anything else.

“The important thing for this squad is to work hard, have a lot of positive energy and seek their objective together, because they have the quality. I am happy that the group accepted my message, accepted that I am not a coach who smiles that much, because I am not here to make friends, but I am here to win.”

This feels like a very different approach to the father-son style man-management of Stefano Pioli, who was in the stands this evening.

Conceicao’s Milan will now go head-to-head with Inter for the Supercoppa Italiana trophy at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Monday evening.