Sergio Conceicao has been in command of AC Milan for lower than a month however has already identified a scarcity of starvation because the supply of his new workforce’s woes, because the seven-time kings of Europe host Girona on Wednesday with the final 16 of the Champions League firmly of their sights.
Milan may but receive direct qualification as they sit a degree away from the highest eight positions and have two winnable last fixtures within the league section, first their lowly Spanish opponents on the San Siro after which at Dinamo Zagreb subsequent week.
However Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Juventus highlighted the identical problems with high quality and character which have change into more and more evident with every season that has handed since their dramatic league title win in 2022.
Milan are a whopping 19 factors behind Serie A leaders Napoli however extra importantly sit eight factors from Italy’s high 4, making the membership’s minimal requirement of qualification for subsequent season’s version of Europe’s elite competitors a tough activity.
“Step one to profitable a match is desirous to win it,” mentioned Conceicao after his workforce’s totally deserved loss in Turin.
“I do not wish to hear something about tiredness or lack of vitality, it is solely January for goodness sake. The gamers have every part they should get better in time to play each three days. What we want is an empty fridge at dwelling, extra starvation.”
Charismatic Conceicao was employed to shake up a Milan workforce lengthy been thought of to be missing combat, and the Portuguese was visibly displeased at his gamers after they crumbled to their first defeat since he changed Paulo Fonseca within the dugout final month.
The 50-year-old had already publicly blasted his workforce when he described Milan’s first-half show in opposition to relegation-threatened Cagliari, a match which completed 1-1, the worst he’d ever seen as a coach.
However the vehemence with which he referred to as out his gamers for missing guts was stunning even when it earned him reward from pundits and disgruntled followers alike.
“I began teaching 13 years in the past I used to be in command of smaller groups, groups that when it comes to expertise weren’t all that however had an unbelievable degree of need,” mentioned Conceicao.
“In life it’s good to develop, have objectives, much more so once you play for Milan. You must preserve that starvation, that need and preserve your personal private objectives as a participant in order that once you get to the tip of your profession you are happy with what you have performed.
“What I am seeing right here is not new to me, I’ve watched nearly all of Milan’s matches (this season). It is all the way down to me to alter the perspective of the gamers. It is my accountability.”
Conceicao has some credit score within the financial institution each for guiding Milan to the Italian Tremendous Cup earlier this month and the best way they gained the ultimate, getting back from two objectives all the way down to beat native rivals Inter Milan 3-2.
Milan have additionally needed to take care of absences to key gamers — Christian Pulisic and Alvaro Morata the most recent big-name casualties — however failure to beat a Girona workforce on simply three factors would solely additional darken the temper amongst followers who’ve been calling for American house owners RedBird to promote the membership.
td/jc