Sergio Conceicao Calls Milan Derby Draw A Fair Result After Late Equaliser

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Sergio Conceicao acknowledged that the 1-1 draw between AC Milan and Inter was a fair result after Stefan de Vrij's late equaliser. Milan had been on the verge of securing their third derby win this season, having previously defeated Inter in the Supercoppa Italiana under Conceicao's leadership. However, Inter's persistence paid off with a 93rd-minute goal.

Inter had several near misses during the match, with three goals disallowed and three attempts hitting the woodwork before they finally scored. This marked the first draw in a Milan derby since March 2022, when both teams ended goalless in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg. Despite Milan's recent struggles against Inter at home, Conceicao felt Inter deserved to leave with a point.

"We put on the field the attitude we wanted," Conceicao told Sky Sports. "Inter know each other very well and create a lot of difficulties for the opponents." He emphasised the importance of countering Inter's strengths while exploiting their weaknesses. Although disappointed by dropping two points, he recognised Inter's joy at securing a draw.

Milan have managed only one victory in their last ten home encounters with Inter across all competitions. Conceicao believes that mistakes were costly but sees potential for improvement in future matches. With the transfer market closed, he anticipates a more focused approach for the upcoming months.

Milan remain eighth in Serie A and have lost just once in their last six league outings. This draw was an improvement following their unexpected Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb. Despite this progress, Conceicao sees areas where his team can improve further.

He highlighted mental consistency as crucial for success, stating that "it's not negotiable" if players lack motivation to play football. On tactical aspects, he noted gaps left in midfield due to pressing higher up the pitch, which he aims to address.

Conceicao stressed that effective attacking leads to better defensive readiness when possession is lost. By occupying space well during attacks, teams can react swiftly defensively. His focus remains on refining these dynamics within his squad.