Milan and Conceicao not giving up on Champions League dream

Sergio Conceicao believes that AC Milan can still qualify for the Champions League this season, despite sitting nine points behind fourth-placed Juventus.

Milan face Genoa at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris on Monday, knowing a win is a must to keep their hopes of competing in Europe’s elite competition next year alive.

The Rossoneri are unbeaten in 13 of their last 14 Serie A matches against Genoa (W9 D4), last losing to them back in 2020, when they fell to a 2-1 defeat.

But this campaign has been an underwhelming one for Milan, despite winning the Supercoppa Italiana against rivals Inter in Conceicao’s second game in charge.

The 50-year-old has won 13 of his 26 matches across all competitions (D5 L8) since taking over from compatriot Paulo Fonseca in December last year.

And while Conceicao has guided Milan to the Coppa Italia final, where they will play Bologna, the Portuguese manager acknowledged there was not a lot to cheer about.

“We just need to work, it’s not like a change of system automatically fixes everything,” Conceicao said.

“The team showed it creates chances in every game, but we lacked balance and defensive solidity.

“We are working on all of this, not just as a team, but also the individual errors we cannot afford to commit at this level.”

Conceicao was also able to provide an update on the fitness of some of his players, including striker Luka Jovic and on-loan Manchester City defender Kyle Walker.

“Luka Jovic is feeling better. He had three training sessions with us,” Conceicao started.

“But Tammy Abraham has a fitness problem, so he is out along with Warren Bondo and Riccardo Sottil.

“Kyle Walker is available, he knows how to play in the back three or as a wing-back.”

Despite being down in ninth, Conceicao denied he would give up on the league to rest players for the Coppa Italia final.

“Every day that we come here, there is the responsibility of working for a club like Milan,” Conceicao said.

“The Serie A table is what it is, but we have the responsibility to prove our quality every day, to prove we are a different team from the one that we appeared to be at times.”