Conceicao: AC Milan must stay grounded after Supercoppa Italiana win
Sergio Conceicao takes charge of his first Serie A clash in the AC Milan dugout after guiding his new side to the Supercoppa Italiana title.
AC Milan must keep their feet on the ground despite their Supercoppa Italiana triumph when they return to Serie A action against Cagliari on Saturday.
Those were the words of the Rossoneri's head coach, Sergio Conceicao, who claimed his first trophy for his new club in just his second game in charge earlier this week.
Milan beat rivals Inter Milan 3-2 at King Saud University Stadium, with Tammy Abraham netting the winner in second half stoppage time in an impressive comeback victory.
But Conceicao's attention will now turn to his first league game in charge since replacing Paulo Fonseca, with lowly Cagliari the visitors to the San Siro this weekend.
"I think that those who think that winning a Super Cup is enough cannot work at Milan," Conceicao told a press conference on Friday.
"It's true, we enjoyed it and deserved it, but we are 17 points off the top of the table.
"A club that has won 19 championships and seven Champions Leagues cannot have their belly full with the Super Cup. So let's focus on tomorrow. We have to win and convince. The Super Cup is over."
Their triumph saw them move level with Inter on eight Supercoppa Italiana titles, one shy of Juventus' record of nine, but Conceicao played down the achievement.
"One of the things that didn't go well in the derby, in my opinion, is that we made mistakes in pressing," Conceicao said.
"There are many things that need to be improved, without a doubt.
"The right way to experience success is to think that there is another one ahead of us that is much more important. I enjoyed it, I even danced, but already on the plane back I was thinking about tomorrow's match."
Milan ended 2024 with a 1-1 draw against Roma, leaving them eighth in the Serie A table and eight points off the Champions League places.
But they will be hopeful of earning a first league win under their new manager against Cagliari, having gone unbeaten in their last 13 top-flight games against them (W10 D3).
Conceicao will also be looking to become the first Milan manager since Arrigo Sacchi in 1987 to win each of his first three games in charge of the Rossoneri.
The Milan coach will, however, be without midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who picked up a knock in training leading up to Saturday's clash.
"He has a small problem and won't be there tomorrow," Conceicao said. "I'm sorry, because he was growing physically."
The 50-year-old also remained tight-lipped about reports linking Milan with a move for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford.
"Rashford is a good player like many others, let's see what happens," Conceicao concluded.