Sergio Conceicao Urges AC Milan Players To Take Responsibility Ahead Of Lecce Clash

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Sergio Conceicao admitted to errors as AC Milan prepare for their Serie A match against Lecce on Saturday. He emphasised the need for his team to improve and stop their current decline. Milan suffered a late loss to Lazio in their last league game, marking their third straight defeat in Italy's top division.

Milan's performance this season has been disappointing, with only Monza having a worse points difference after 27 games compared to last season. The Rossoneri have secured just 41 points so far, a significant drop from the 56 points they had at the same stage in the previous campaign, resulting in a negative difference of -15.

Conceicao's average of 1.40 points per game as Milan manager is under scrutiny. The last coach with a lower average was Marco Giampaolo, now leading Lecce, who managed 1.29 points per game in the 2019-20 season. Currently, Milan sits ninth in the standings, trailing by 11 points from the top four and six points from a European spot.

"I've made mistakes, as all coaches do," Conceicao acknowledged on Friday. He highlighted his unique approach to team dynamics and decision-making. Despite recent setbacks, he noted that his career has brought more successes than disappointments.

The manager stressed that improvement requires maximum effort and teamwork while reducing mistakes and misfortune during matches. "There is no other way but to work," he stated. Conceicao believes success comes from genuine belief and commitment to achieving goals.

The Importance of Team Unity

Conceicao underscored the necessity of involving all players for a turnaround, noting that there hadn't been enough time for comprehensive collaboration until now. "If you play for Milan and don’t have the desire, that's already a problem," he remarked.

The coach emphasised that wearing the Milan shirt should naturally inspire motivation. Despite challenges this season, he urged focus on controllable factors like performance and insisted players must embrace their responsibilities.

During his tenure at Porto, Conceicao won 11 major honours and led Milan to their eighth Supercoppa Italiana title in January. However, recent performances have not met expectations due to numerous mistakes in matches.