AC Milan Coach Sergio Conceicao Emphasises Focus After Supercoppa Italiana Triumph

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AC Milan's recent Supercoppa Italiana victory should not distract them as they prepare for their Serie A match against Cagliari on Saturday. Head coach Sergio Conceicao, who secured his first trophy with the club in just his second game, emphasized the need to stay grounded. Milan triumphed over Inter Milan 3-2 at King Saud University Stadium, with Tammy Abraham scoring the decisive goal in stoppage time.

Conceicao is now focused on his first league match since taking over from Paulo Fonseca, with Cagliari visiting San Siro this weekend. "I think that those who think that winning a Super Cup is enough cannot work at Milan," Conceicao stated during a press conference. "It's true, we enjoyed it and deserved it, but we are 17 points off the top of the table."

The coach stressed that a club with 19 championships and seven Champions League titles cannot be satisfied with just a Super Cup win. He urged his team to concentrate on the upcoming match and aim for victory. Despite their recent success, Milan remains 17 points behind the league leaders and must focus on climbing the table.

Milan's victory brought them level with Inter Milan on eight Supercoppa Italiana titles, just one behind Juventus' record of nine. However, Conceicao downplayed this achievement, noting areas for improvement. "One of the things that didn't go well in the derby was our pressing mistakes," he said. "There are many things that need to be improved."

Milan ended 2024 with a draw against Roma, placing them eighth in Serie A and eight points away from Champions League qualification spots. They hope to secure their first league win under Conceicao against Cagliari, having remained unbeaten in their last 13 encounters (10 wins and three draws). Conceicao aims to become the first manager since Arrigo Sacchi in 1987 to win his initial three games with Milan.

The team will face Cagliari without midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek due to an injury sustained during training. "He has a small problem and won't be there tomorrow," Conceicao confirmed. The coach expressed disappointment as Loftus-Cheek was showing physical improvement before this setback.

Transfer Speculations Surrounding Marcus Rashford

Conceicao also addressed rumours linking Milan with Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford. While acknowledging Rashford's talent, he remained non-committal about any potential transfer moves. "Rashford is a good player like many others; let's see what happens," he concluded.

Milan's focus remains on improving their league position while managing injuries and transfer speculations. With Conceicao at the helm, they aim to build momentum in Serie A following their Super Cup success.