AC Milan’s head coach Sergio Conceicao shared his thoughts following the team’s advancement to the Coppa Italia semifinals after defeating Roma in the quarterfinals. In a post-match interview, Conceicao discussed the team’s performance, individual players, and his vision for the future.
Conceicao emphasized the importance of fundamental principles in football and life. “When I speak about basics, I’m referring to ambition, passion, and the desire to be stronger tomorrow than today. These are life principles,” he stated. The coach acknowledged the challenges of limited training time due to the busy match schedule but expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, particularly highlighting a impressive goal-scoring recovery.
Looking ahead, Conceicao mentioned the team’s focus on the upcoming away match against Empoli, recognizing the difficulties of playing in Italy. He stressed the significance of balance in all aspects of the game, both with and without the ball, noting that he had observed some concerning signals in previous matches.
When discussing individual players, Conceicao had high expectations for Rafael Leao. “He can do much more,” the coach asserted. “He has incredible characteristics. Ball control is important, but he needs to make himself available to the team in all moments of the game. I know it’s not easy to leave the comfort zone, but for me, he can be a player at another level.”
Conceicao also shared his vision for the team’s playing style, stating, “We’re working to become a more compact and aggressive team. We’re not there yet, but with the players who have arrived, we can work on it because they give me comfort and confidence to play the way I like.”
