AC Milan have had a good start under their new head coach Sergio Conceicao, but the game against Juventus is arguably the biggest and most important test yet.
In Conceicao’s mind, the Supercoppa has been and gone, and it holds little relevance for the squad. Yes, Milan beat Juventus and Inter, but football does not stop, especially not in January, because of a trophy.
The head coach’s focus has instead always been on what is happening next, and for the Rossoneri, that now is Juventus, just as it was Como and Cagliari before it.
It is a fixture that could prove significant at the end of the season, should it end with either team getting three points and Conceicao will be demanding that his side leave Turin the happier of the pair.
Ahead of the game, the Portuguese head coach spoke to the media, and his words have been relayed by Milan News.
Third time that Milan and Juve have faced each other in the last month and a half: what kind of match do you expect?
“There is balance, they are two strong teams. Two teams that have very interesting players, but all the games are different. Tomorrow we have to face a team that played a good game against Atalanta, we are working on small things that for me are big things, with what time we have available. But we have little time, there are many games, important games.
“Until the beginning of February, we play in the Champions League, the league and the Coppa Italia. We have to be ready, we have to have the right attitude to reach our goals.”
How is Pulisic, will he be there tomorrow?
“I say Pulisic is out, I don’t want to bluff. It was like that [the wording of bluff] in Portugal too. He’s out, we don’t want to risk it, he’s nothing special but we don’t want to risk it. If he plays twenty minutes he risks making the situation worse and I don’t want that.”
Is Camarda already in the first team?
“He’s a young player, he has his way to go with a lot of work ahead of him. He has an important base, he has quality, talent and desire, he has an important base.”
On the mercato…
“I don’t like the January transfer market very much, it always creates negative things in the players, on an emotional level. There are situations that need to be fixed, it’s good that we can get to this point. But it’s not the most important thing for me.
“I’m talking to the management, we agree on what we need, but you also know that it’s not easy to get players who can help and give more to this group. I talk to the management and we agree on what we want.”
If you had one wish, would you choose a forward, a midfielder or a defender?
“A win tomorrow, that’s what I want most. I understand your curiosity, it’s normal: there have been rumours, the transfer market is open. Excuse me, but for me, my thoughts are already on this match.
“If I say something it’s either something untrue or a turn of phrase… So it’s better to talk about tomorrow’s match”.
Is the team’s problem mental or tactical?
“Offensive and defensive organization, we definitely see that every day and we work on the details: sometimes we concede goals because of small details. We have to enter the game thinking that from the first minute, we can lose or win.
“If we look at Milan’s history we see that the real champions are in the past: those who have won the 7 Champions Leagues, those are the real champions. Every victory here at Milan gives us the feeling of being able to go and win. We won a championship three years ago, now a Super Cup, with all due respect for the Super Cup.
“It’s a message for everyone, everyone who works at Milanello, not just the players: all the details are important. This message is also for me and my staff, we have to always be hot in spirit to get somewhere. Because the others prepare well and then it’s difficult, Como also played well and have a prepared coach.
“If we want to be a little bit above, not only in terms of quality, the mental issue is important: we represent Milan, we automatically have to be motivated.”
Fofana and Bennacer in difficulty in the last outings, how can they coexist?
“With work. That’s exactly my job. Each player in his role must fit well with the others. I don’t think Bennacer and Fofana can’t coexist, on the contrary. Tomorrow they will both play. Normally I never do that, I don’t say who plays. But the formation that comes out in the newspapers is always right, but it’s not a criticism.
“They can coexist, they must understand what to do when we have the ball to get to attack with balance. It’s this balance that we want in the team, to not take the opponents’ transition.”
If tomorrow they tell you to do a pre-match interview, will you go?
“I’ll send someone else. It’s impossible. I can’t even think of the right thing, and then maybe I’ll say the wrong things because I’m thinking about other things.”
On the captain’s armband…
“I saw before I came here that there was controversy about the armband, but for me, it’s not important. A 17-year-old and a 35-year-old must have the same responsibilities and everyone must speak up. At Porto for a few years Diogo Costa, the goalkeeper, was captain. The captain could be Mike, Theo, or Calabria. But it’s not the important thing, they don’t have to worry about that.
“Maignan for example has to worry about conceding goals, that’s the first objective. I like him because he has this personality, he’s a winner. Theo is the same, he’s achieved a fantastic number of goals here at Milan, surpassing a legend like Maldini.
“For me, it’s a pleasure to coach these players. For me, the captain’s armband isn’t that important.”
Do you have the impression that this Milan lacks width on the full-backs?
“We are also working on this. If we play with 3 midfielders I want width. Sometimes it can be a winger, other times it can and must be a full-back, but it can also be a midfielder. But this width is absolutely necessary in the game.”
Have you found the secret formula to get more continuity from Theo and Leao?
“I think this continuity is always linked to training. They recover the day after the game, then there is the second and then on the third day, we are already talking about the game. Today I spoke with Leao, he has an incredible ability on physical tests.
“There are indications on this, he can do much more at this level. And I am working on this. Inside his game he will certainly improve the numbers: I don’t want him to be happy with 10 goals, he must aim to score 20. He knows what he has to improve, I spoke about it with him.
“Now going on the pitch is difficult because there are too many games, he has understood what to improve and it is a good start for me.”
Are some players suffering because they play too much, like Reijnders and Fofana? Is there anything needed in midfield? Will Tomori stay at Milan?
“He started with a good game question and then ended badly. Let’s not talk about the market today. The physical aspect is important, but there are 6 months to go, we are not at the end of the season.
“We have 80 people who work in different fields: nutritionists, we have everything here. It’s a mental issue, but we also work on this and we are working on this too. The potential sometimes is not discovered because you don’t leave your comfort zone. Tomorrow the limit will be even higher, you have to put a carrot in front of you.
“You think that being at Milan you are fine like this, but that’s not good. The physique is important, but it’s important how each person talks to themselves and if they can give more, even if you are not at the top physically.”
When will the team be ready to play with 4-4-2? Especially considering that the two wingers are Leao and Pulisic…
“That’s exactly the point, the team isn’t prepared for that: basically we do 4-2-4 and we take risks. Then when we have to win I take risks because for me drawing is losing two points. And when we risk something we discover behind, but balance is very important. But over time certainly yes, it’s a model that I like.
“I played for years like that, it’s very balanced. But the characteristics of the players must be what I think, otherwise I wouldn’t even be intelligent to do it, with the players adapted…”
What would you like to see from that victory against Juve and what would you not like to see?
“Good question. What would I like to see again? What I talked about before on a defensive level, not allowing the opponent too much. In the first half, on a defensive dynamic level, we suffered more than we wanted.
“I liked the reaction, we took the handbrake off and attacked. Even if we allowed them to easily get into our area. We have to be careful, because for example in Como we conceded a goal for a 5-meter cover that one of our full-backs was supposed to do. If you close the space he won’t score, maybe. But if you don’t close it he comes forward and scores.
“I would like to see a solid Milan from a defensive point of view and with the desire to attack the opponent’s goal.”
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