Sergio Conceicao demands more hunger as AC Milan eye Champions League top eight
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AC Milan coach Sergio Conceicao was visibly displeased at his players after they crumbled to their defeat at Juventus.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MILAN – Sergio Conceicao has been in charge of AC Milan for less than a month, but has already diagnosed a lack of hunger as the source of his new team’s woes, as the seven-time kings of Europe host Girona on Jan 22 with the last 16 of the Champions League in their sights.
Milan could yet obtain direct qualification as they sit a point away from the top-eight positions and have two winnable final fixtures in the league phase, first their lowly Spanish opponents at the San Siro and then at Dinamo Zagreb on Jan 29.
But the 2-0 league defeat at Juventus on Jan 18 highlighted the same issues of quality and character that have become increasingly evident with each season that has passed since their dramatic league title triumph in 2022.
Milan are a whopping 19 points behind Serie A leaders Napoli but, more importantly, sit eight points from the top four, making the club’s minimum requirement of qualification for next season’s edition of Europe’s elite competition a difficult task.
“The first step to winning a match is wanting to win it,” said Conceicao after his team’s deserved loss in Turin.
“I don’t want to hear anything about tiredness or lack of energy, it’s only January for goodness’ sake.
“The players have everything they need to recover in time to play every three days. What we need is an empty fridge at home, more hunger.”
Charismatic Conceicao was hired to shake up a Milan team long been considered to be lacking fight, and the Portuguese was visibly displeased at his players after they crumbled to their first defeat since he replaced Paulo Fonseca in the dugout in December.
The 50-year-old had already publicly blasted his team when he described Milan’s first-half display against relegation-threatened Cagliari, a match which finished 1-1 on Jan 11, the worst he had ever seen as a coach.
However, the vehemence with which he called out his players for lacking guts was surprising, even if it earned him praise from pundits and disgruntled fans alike.
“I started coaching 13 years ago,” said Conceicao. “I was in charge of smaller teams, teams that in terms of talent weren’t all that but had an incredible level of desire.
“In life, you need to grow, have goals, even more so when you play for Milan. You have to maintain that hunger, that desire and maintain your own personal goals as a player so that when you get to the end of your career, you’re proud of what you’ve done.
“What I’m seeing here isn’t new to me, I’ve watched almost all of Milan’s matches (this season).
“It’s down to me to change the attitude of the players. It’s my responsibility.”
He has some credit in the bank for guiding Milan to the Italian Super Cup on Jan 6 and the way they won the final, coming back from two goals down to beat local rivals Inter Milan 3-2.
Milan have also had to deal with the absences of key players – midfielder Christian Pulisic and forward Alvaro Morata are the latest big names to miss out.
But failure to beat a Girona team with three points in the Champions League would only further darken the mood among fans who have been calling for American owners RedBird to sell the club. AFP
