Soccer Football - Italian Super Cup - Semi Final - Juventus v AC Milan - Al Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - January 3, 2025 AC Milan coach Sergio Conceicao reacts REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini
RIYADH (Reuters) - AC Milan manager Sergio Conceicao celebrated an Italian Super Cup semi-final success over Juventus in his first game in charge on Friday, but the new boss said he is not there to make friends.
Milan went in at the break a goal down, and it took a stern halftime talking-to from Conceicao to spark them into action, and their 2-1 victory set up a derby decider with Inter Milan on Monday.
"After the first 45 minutes, in the locker room I didn't give kisses, in fact I got a little angry because the team didn't do the things we had prepared," Conceicao told Mediaset.
"This is a humble group, sometimes they lack a bit of ruthlessness to get to something more but over time we will get there."
Conceicao replaced the sacked Paulo Fonseca on Monday, with Milan eighth in the Serie A standings, and the new manager gave a hint of what the players can expect as he aims to turn things around at the club.
"I'm not a very nice person, I don't like to give hugs to players, I'm more often angry but a group needs all this," Conceicao said.
"Ours is a quality group, I am very happy with them because they have also accepted a coach who does not smile so much.
"I'm not here to make friends, but to win."
Conceicao saved his hugs for his son Francisco at the final whistle, after the Juventus winger had been named in the starting side but was forced to withdraw after picking up an injury in the warm-up.
"It was the end of a game, I was happier because I won the game and he was sadder but it's part of life," Conceicao said.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Toby Davis)
