As Milan gets ready for their match against Juventus, Conceicao suspends familial ties

Sergio Conceicao, AC Milan’s new coach, acknowledged that he might use extra time to train for the Supercoppa Italiana match against Juventus, but he reassured supporters that he would not lose his cool when facing his son Francisco, a Juve player.

Only hours after the Italian team fired Paulo Fonseca, the Portuguese was named Milan’s new coach on Monday.

He acknowledged that he had little time to prepare for the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final against Juventus on Friday, which will be his first game in command.

He said during a press conference on Thursday, “I found a team that is humble, eager to learn, and wants to understand what the coach requires.”

“This is crucial; in my view, it serves as the cornerstone of high-quality work. Despite having little time to work, we have been successful in communicating the necessary information.

“If you had asked me whether I would have liked more time to work and have all the players available, I would have said yes.”

The 50-year-old stated it would be business as usual when the former Porto manager faced the squad that hires his son, Francisco Conceicao.

“If you notice that my eyes appear a touch sparkly, it’s because I have a cold and a fever right now. I am his father at home, and my son will be my opponent tomorrow; he will share my viewpoint,” the elder Conceicao remarked.

“Just as he wants to beat me, I want to beat him. I pray that I don’t bring him joy.

In a different press conference, Juventus manager Thiago Motta stated that he was still unsure about starting Francisco Conceicao.

He’s driven to perform well from the beginning and throughout the game, so we’ll see if he plays or not. Motta stated, “I don’t think it changes anything for him; the only thing he needs to focus on is facing a great team.”

Motta went on to say that regardless of the coach, he viewed Milan as a challenging opponent.

“We know what to do against a strong team that is used to major competitions, so we will undoubtedly be prepared. Our actions, not theirs, will be what count.