Having just arrived in Milan, Sergio Conceição has already made an impression with his charisma and his new methods.
He is one of the attractions of the moment. After six months of inactivity, following the termination of his contract with FC Porto in the off-season, Portuguese coach Sergio Conceição recently took over the helm of a struggling AC Milan, after a mixed stint in his compatriot Paulo Fonseca. In the space of a few days, the former FC Porto coach has already changed the face of his new team.
Successful results
For a new coach, the first meetings are often the most important. These have the power to set the tone for a new adventure and cultivate the hope and support of a club and its supporters. As for Sergio Conceição, it was difficult to achieve a better debut in the ranks of AC Milan. For his first two meetings with the Rossonerithe Portuguese toppled two domestic juggernauts, namely Juventus and Inter, to win the Italian Super Cup.
If during these first two matches, AC Milan did not develop a particularly defined style of play, fans of Italian football were still able to determine the Conceição touch through the state of mind displayed by the players . Carried out twice during these meetings, the Rossoneri have each time shown courage and self-sacrifice to win against two of the three best defenses in the Italian championship.
New methods
A rediscovered state of mind, which is certainly not the result of chance. Since taking office, Sergio Conceição has brought a new discourse within the Milan locker room, at the same time as he imposed new working methods.
According to recent information from Record, the Portuguese is now forcing his players to meet the day before the match at the training center to spend the night, after having carried out a final session during the evening. A very different operation from that allowed by his predecessors, namely Paulo Fonseca and Stefano Pioli, who brought the players together just a few hours before the match.
In addition to these new schedules, the Record newspaper also specifies that the Portuguese has increased the level of requirements imposed on players regarding their physical condition. From now on, they are weighed daily, train every day, and are only allowed to leave the training center after 2 p.m., several hours after that day’s session.
-Players appreciate
For now, this stricter operation seems to be working among the members of the Milan squad. This is particularly the case for Rafael Leão, decisive passer against Inter, who recently praised the work carried out by Sergio Conceição and his staff since their arrival in Italy. “He brought a new energy and a new mentality. It was with this that we arrived at the Super Cup and it was very important for everyone. I’ve already won a Scudetto here, but I can’t describe in words how I felt against Inter. Everyone has felt these feelings, we must continue on this path”declared the Milanese number 10.
In a few days, Sergio Conceição took a formation in doubt to make a team now more united, ready to make more sacrifices to achieve common objectives. “What’s changed?” The energy and the mentality is what we saw against Juventus and Inter. Those who were absent chose to be part of the group, to contribute from the stands. It is a message to ourselves. And now, before entering the field, even the opponents see us differently. This is what our two recent returns confirm”the enchaîné Rafael Leão.
Now driven by a new dynamic, Sergio Conceição’s AC Milan can envisage a second half of the season that is significantly better than the first. However, the most difficult thing for the Portuguese technician will now be to maintain this enthusiasm over the coming months. This Saturday, the Milanese will host Cagliari on the occasion of the Mister’s grand premiere on a Serie A bench. It remains to be seen whether the outcome of this meeting will be as positive as the two previous ones.
Photo credit: Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images
Alexandre Ribeiro launched the Trivela.fr site in 2019 and today runs it alongside his colleagues. Passionate about Portuguese football as a whole, and in particular the Portuguese national team, it is with all his energy and involvement that he brings this media to life on a daily basis.
