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00:00Welcome to the press conference on the eve of the match between Milan and Lecce, we are here with Mr. Concecao.
00:10More than a question, I'd like to ask you about some incidents yesterday and a few events in the last few days.
00:26It's probably been quite... I imagine you've got lots to talk about today.
00:34But also for me the situation of yesterday, of recent days, upset me.
00:42I'm going to take it to a legal level.
00:48My ex-collaborator did something that was wrong.
00:53I don't know if he'd been paid by someone, I'll say it in public because I don't understand why my spokesman did this.
01:02A journalist called me and sent me a screenshot of what my ex-collaborator was talking about.
01:12I don't know where he got the information from.
01:15He did it to be nasty.
01:19I'm really sorry for everyone, for people that work for Milan, people like you Mauro Suma, journalists.
01:28We're here every day with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gioffre and Mr. Moncada.
01:35We have a good relationship.
01:40We work with the team, we communicate with the team.
01:46We've had a good week.
01:49We've had a good week, everyone was available.
01:54Florenzi was available as well.
02:00We've been working on various things.
02:03It was the first week in which this has been the situation and I was really happy.
02:08The squad worked very hard and worked well.
02:14Let me give you an example.
02:19I left FC Porto in a situation a bit unhappy.
02:25It wasn't in the best way.
02:28I haven't spoken about my exit from Porto since.
02:36The things that came out in the article written by my ex-collaborator mentioned many things, included many people.
02:48I'm going to take it to a legal procedure because it's wrong.
02:57Let's talk about the pitch.
02:59You said it's been a good week, a week in which you've had everyone to work with.
03:05Four days in a row of training.
03:08Have you noticed anything different in the squad?
03:12Have you noticed a bit more hunger, a bit more will to win from the players?
03:20Do you think the players tomorrow will show real passion to defend the club's colours?
03:26As I said before, it was important to have a week working with all the players.
03:31Some players have played less than they wanted to.
03:36I've played less than others.
03:38If we have to talk about players who want to defend Milan's colours, things have already gone a bit wrong.
03:54Every day, every player who comes to the training centre at Milanello has to want to defend our colours.
04:03When I watch training, I look at the players that I think can guarantee me the best performances in matches.
04:11I'm happy because everybody gave me a good response during training this week.
04:17At the end of the day, it's me that chooses the starting eleven, obviously.
04:22It's going to be a difficult choice and it's a difficult place to win.
04:31I want to ask, how can you get out of this negative moment on and off the pitch?
04:39How can you release all the negative energy of the week and lots of negativity around Milan with results?
04:47There's only one way of expunging negative energy, results.
04:51We need two things.
04:54We need to work at our maximum and we have to give much more, much more.
05:00The second is to believe that these episodes, these moments that happen in matches, these unforced errors and slight bad luck,
05:12we have to improve in these things.
05:18But everything changes when you win and you have to win.
05:23If you win, I'm not used to losing several matches.
05:28It's not something I'm used to as a manager.
05:30There's no other way.
05:32You have to work and you have to believe.
05:36But it's not just believe for the sake of it.
05:38You have to believe and do it.
05:40You have to believe, have faith and work at your maximum, at the maximum to win matches.
05:56Three matches, three defeats in a row in the league and in some distance from the Champions League zone in the table.
06:07It's not a great situation, but we're at the beginning of March.
06:11There's still time, two and a half months left of the season.
06:20How can you keep the team alive in this season?
06:27You've got the Coppa Italia, which will bring a derby against Inter in the semi-final.
06:34There's lots of matches left in the championship.
06:38But is tomorrow's match against Lecce extra important?
06:43Since I arrived here, we've got a match every three or four matches,
06:47and they've all been very important and in various competitions.
06:51I don't think we have to think long term.
06:55We've got 13 matches and a semi-final in the Coppa Italia.
07:04Regarding the derby in the Coppa Italia in Simone Inzaghi's words,
07:13it's true we could win three derbies, it's possible.
07:17But the next match is the most important.
07:20I know it's a boring thing to say, a cliché, but it's true.
07:24If we think too far ahead, it's not good because we forget what we have to do immediately.
07:34With these players, you've had a few more days to work with them.
07:43Do you think they have the will to exit from this situation?
07:48Yes, I've got that feeling. The players want to get out of this difficult situation.
07:53I've had difficult days in these few months here at Milan.
07:59But I can say now that I'm confident.
08:07We had ten incredible days when I arrived, the semi-final and final of the Super Cup.
08:13We returned, then we had a difficult match against Cagliari.
08:19Some of the feel-good factor, the energy created by the cup victory, that faded away.
08:29But we won. We won against Dinamo Zagreb.
08:36We did well against Napoli.
08:39Then after that, it became very difficult.
08:43You know what happened, we've had red cards, we've had errors.
08:49I've made errors as well.
08:52I don't want to just say it's the players' fault.
08:58The two matches against Feyenoord, we had a little pinch of bad luck.
09:04Situations that didn't go well.
09:07And mentally, the players had a few problems.
09:19And also, referees' decisions.
09:22There was a second yellow card.
09:25Many times, that second yellow card for Teo Hernandez,
09:29many referees would not have given the second yellow card.
09:38There was maybe another way to manage that decision.
09:42I was convinced that we would have won that match.
09:46But it happened, Teo Hernandez was sent off and we lost a bit of focus, serenity.
09:55And we fell into a black hole.
09:57But we want to get out of that black hole.
10:00I know these are just words, but I mean it.
10:09I want to do it for the people that believe, the fans.
10:14I really feel it.
10:18And to be here with, I've got lots of respect for the journalist Carlo Pellegatti.
10:26I've got major respect for the people who follow this club and write about this club.
10:35Let me speak from the heart.
10:38Arsenal beat PSV 7-1.
10:42The same team that lost on penalties last season.
10:51It's not that we're all, it's not that we here don't understand football.
10:56We're clueless.
10:57There's a journey, there's a journey to get here.
11:05I have to justify my work every day.
11:08Why I'm Milan's manager, coach.
11:12And I do that with dedication, with energy.
11:14But we've had big problems, as you know.
11:17The atmosphere, problems, you know that we've had problems here.
11:21But we have to keep going.
11:22We have to work hard and we have to win.
11:29The only objective is to win.
11:30There's no other objectives.
11:32I'm speaking to you.
11:36It's been a good week in terms of working with the players.
11:39That doesn't mean that we'll win 4-0 tomorrow against Lecce, if only.
11:43But that's the way.
11:44Football is, that's the way of football.
11:47You have to look, not too much in the past.
11:50You have to obviously analyse what we can improve.
11:52But you have to look forward.
11:54And that's tomorrow.
12:02A bit of a chaotic week for you.
12:05Talking about returning to football on the pitch.
12:09It's been rumoured that, Conceição, you will drop a few big players.
12:15And play youngsters like Davide, Bartesaghi and Riccardo Sotil.
12:20Rafa Leal will be dropped.
12:23I'm the first that doesn't want to lose.
12:25I want to win.
12:29I would be a fool, a masochist, not to pick a team that I think can win.
12:34I will pick the eleven that I think can win the game.
12:38There are other moments.
12:41There are 90 minutes.
12:42So obviously there will be things that the referee will do.
12:47Maybe things that will happen.
12:52But it also depends on the form of the players.
12:56If someone's playing well but not 100% fresh, fit.
13:00I've got various options.
13:06I have to pick the eleven that I think will give me the guarantee to give me the best performance.
13:14I'm the leader.
13:15I'm the leader.
13:22Back to talking to the pitch.
13:25Last week you said that you were going to talk to the coach.
13:29Last week you said to us that you had a thought of changing formation and experimenting.
13:38Maybe with a three-man defence.
13:43Have you made any progress on that?
13:47Can we expect something a bit different tomorrow?
13:50Against Lecce or do we need to wait?
13:54We're working.
13:56Right now I don't want to get into the specifics because we've got a match tomorrow.
14:05We're working.
14:07It was a significant week and so will next week be.
14:11In the evolution of all the players and the team dynamics, what we do with the ball.
14:19Principally as well when we don't have the ball.
14:26It's Oliver.
14:33Are there any players, maybe Jiménez, who haven't got over their injuries because Santi Jiménez arrived with an injury?
14:46How is the situation in terms of fitness?
14:50The second thing.
14:59In certain moments of the match, the team, some of the players, make errors and do unpredictable things.
15:12Like the second yellow card or a foul or a defensive error.
15:20What I ask myself is, is this because of a difficult atmosphere which is too emotional or are people lacking serenity or something else?
15:33We always say to the players, we always try and keep the players calm in those moments.
15:41It's not because if things go badly, you can't react instantly.
15:47You can't react without thinking.
15:54This year, the atmosphere has been a bit difficult.
16:00But we have to concentrate on what we can control on the team and on their performance.
16:08The team comes to the players that train every day after every match.
16:14We give the players responsibility and they have got responsibility.
16:18We try and help the team make the right steps, but sometimes it doesn't go that well.
16:25On Santiago Jiménez, he arrived in a new championship, which is a little bit trickier than the Dutch championship, but that's not a problem.
16:38He arrived in a new championship, which is a little bit trickier than the Dutch championship, without being rude, without showing disrespect.
16:50There's always a period of acclimatizing, it's normal.
16:54It's completely normal when you join a new team, a new league.
16:58I'm not going to talk about different formations, and if I'm going to play with a three-quarter or a second striker to create or reduce space.
17:14His quality as a player, we're working hard, and so is he, to get the most out of his quality.
17:24He's trained well this week.
17:29I've seen lots of players in his position who have struggled.
17:37Let's say in Italy, like Reteghi of Genoa and Atalanta.
17:43It's difficult to score 15 goals in your first 10 games in Serie A.
17:49We want that to happen, but it's difficult.
17:52We're working on it, though.
17:5460 days since the victory in the Super Cup in Riyadh.
18:03Things haven't gone too well. What do you think you have got wrong?
18:10We often tell you what we think you have got wrong.
18:14We want to know what you think hasn't gone right.
18:18We want you to be the journalist.
18:20Yeah, I've made mistakes, obviously.
18:22Every manager, every coach makes mistakes.
18:27It's football, it's normal.
18:31In the dynamics and principles of a team, in a group, as a leader, I've got my characteristics, I've got my personality.
18:41I can't compare myself with others, but I always try and do the best for the team.
18:47On this journey I'm having with Milan, I've had more satisfaction than negativity.
18:58Off the pitch, my staff and I try and pass on our thoughts and principles to the players, to the squad.
19:14We respect everyone who works with us, all the players, the small things.
19:25I even say it to my children.
19:29Certain rules, certain principles, being polite and putting these into practice.
19:37I've got the excuse, but it's not an excuse.
19:44Talking about the different changes, the starting eleven, it's true I've made errors, everyone makes errors.
19:57I try not to make mistakes, but everyone makes mistakes.
20:01I'm evolving as a manager and also as a person, but it's in the moments of difficulty where you grow.
20:07We've read lots of reports about the club being split in two this week, but you denied all this.
20:26I want to know, from inside, you talk about a difficult atmosphere, but how are you living, how are you going through these situations?
20:37We're focused on our work, really we are.
20:43I've said the people that work with the team, Moncada, we work hard.
20:52We want to improve difficult situations, we have to focus on what we can affect, what we can control.
21:00We can't control what happens outside, what people say.
21:03People can say what they want, they're free.
21:07They can judge us, they can say what they want in any moment.
21:11I remember Arigo Saki, who says that he's noticed that there's criticism of me in the papers.
21:32Milan had super players, great players, and I sent a message to Arigo Saki, but he didn't respond.
21:43He can say what he wants, I don't mind if he criticises me, Arigo Saki.
21:48But if the form doesn't change, it's normal that you're criticised.
21:52Outside we can only see a few things, we don't know what happens every day.
22:04But if we go back to the Super Cup in Riyadh, there was the images of you celebrating in the dressing room with a cigar.
22:14Tego Hernandez was close to you, Rafa Leal was.
22:19These are the players who were perhaps representative of the Scudetto won a few years ago by Milan.
22:27In your two-month journey, having arrived here in a difficult time for Milan,
22:34what has changed since you won the Super Cup in Riyadh and up to now?
22:43Because people are criticising the team, saying that the team aren't playing well.
22:47What have you noticed in these two months?
22:51Recently Mike Mignone has seemed a little bit agitated in the last few matches.
22:58Two things, the players' relationship with the manager and Sergio Concecao's relationship with Tego Hernandez, Mike Mignone and Rafa Leal.
23:17They're different things. I've heard lots of... Carlo Ancelotti has spoken about this, saying that you have to divide.
23:28The relationships, they're good guys, they're good lads, these players.
23:36We're working hard to get the best out of these players.
23:43We're working very hard to get the best out of players that have already shown here that they can make the difference, Tego, Rafa and Mike Mignone.
23:53I don't want to... the subject of yesterday, the things that were discussed yesterday, I won't mention them.
24:09But I want to know what you said after the match against Dinamo Zagreb, one of the worst matches since you took over here.
24:20You said, I could be the best manager in the world, but when the basics aren't there, it's very difficult.
24:30Are you saying that it's impossible to get back to the best?
24:34In Zagreb, we conceded a goal that you concede very rarely, after Moussa's red card.
24:52We should have approached the match differently, and those are the basics, the foundation I was talking about.
25:01We were aiming to get directly into the round of 16, that was our motivation, but it's the way I speak.
25:10When I speak after a defeat, it's not because I'm angry if I speak like that after a defeat, it's because I'm passionate, I live these things.
25:23I can't change the way I am, even if I win, I've got a huge smile, it's the way I am, it's how I live these things, it's how I live these moments.
25:37That's the way I am, I shout at the players and try and inspire them. I'm 50 years old, it's difficult to change.
25:54You change, but I say to my children when we play football at home, in my professional dream, it was my professional dream to be here at Milan.
26:11It's not because I'm living it with blind passion, I want things to go well.
26:18But the basis, the foundations have to be there, as we spoke before, the players have to have the right attitude to improve, the will to evolve as players.
26:37And the team, these are the basics, the foundations I was talking about.
26:42It's difficult to explain because you journalists see things, the match against Lazio, bad, we weren't tired, it wasn't a physical thing, maybe you or another one of your colleagues spoke about it.
27:06Maybe the atmosphere had affected the players, so what do I have to do? I have to support my team, my players, and I have to lift them up.
27:22In difficult moments, as people, as players, we have to find something extra, we have to try and find the positive side, we can't always be head down and thinking about the atmosphere was difficult, but we have to think about the next match, which is tomorrow.
27:44You don't like speaking about your past, but I want to say something.
28:00When you said that Arsenal were different, I think you made an error, Arsenal I think were better in the past because they had Pakaio Saka and Kai Havertz, you went out to Arsenal with Porto last year on penalties.
28:26What would you like to transfer from your Porto that nearly beat Arsenal, what would you like to see from your Porto here with Milan that hasn't happened yet, and excuse the comparison with your past.
28:41No, you're right, I was talking about, I want the solidity, the compact nature of that Porto. I think my Porto team had less quality than my Milan team, but in terms of organisation, my Porto team were fantastic.
29:05When we didn't have the ball, it was always organised, the reaction was very compact. We want a harmonious team, everyone is working hard to win the ball back. If we're struggling, we can move up the pitch, meaning we have more space behind us.
29:30I want all the players to have the attitude of a soldier. I had that in recent years, and I'm finding it difficult to bring that here. We're working on that, we're working on a different style, different exercises.
29:55And we're working with those who have played more than others. We haven't had the chance to work on certain things, but we've done it this week, we've worked on certain things this week. And if I notice anything different, I'm working hard so things will be different tomorrow. I'm working hard, we're working hard, so you will see a different Milan tomorrow.
30:20So tomorrow, are we expecting a better Milan after a week of work? There's pressure on you now. After one week, you didn't have a week to work with a team before.
30:34Yeah, okay, that's okay. I will accept the challenge. I accept the challenge. Thank you very much. Thank you for watching Mr Conce Sales Press Conference.