Sergio Conceicao Leads AC Milan To Supercoppa Success In His First Week As Manager

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Sergio Conceicao had a remarkable start at AC Milan, winning the Supercoppa Italiana. Despite joining just a week earlier, his team secured a 3-2 victory over Inter on Monday. Conceicao took over from Paulo Fonseca and, even while unwell, led Milan to a 2-1 semi-final win against Juventus on Friday.

In the final, Milan faced a challenging situation, trailing by two goals. However, they managed an impressive comeback. Theo Hernandez and Christian Pulisic scored to equalise before Tammy Abraham's late goal sealed the win in Riyadh. "The team has character," Conceicao told Mediaset. "At half-time, I had to make changes; that's my job."

Conceicao made history as the fastest Milan manager to win a trophy since 1929/30. He surpassed Montella's record of winning the Italian Super Cup in his 18th match in December 2016. The players and staff celebrated with him after the final whistle.

The celebrations were emotional for Conceicao, who later danced with a cigar in his mouth in the dressing room. During the match, he suffered an injury due to Emerson Royal's tackle but received treatment and rejoined his team.

Reflecting on his cigar ritual, Conceicao said: "At the end of the game, players told me I had to smoke a cigar; it's my ritual when I lift a title." This victory marked his 13th title as a coach, which he described as having "a special flavour."

Conceicao expressed happiness for his players' efforts despite limited preparation time. "The credit is all theirs because they absorbed my indications," he stated. He remains focused on future challenges in both the Champions League and domestic league.