Sports Bulletin Report
Riyadh (Saudi Arabia): Sergio Conceicao wants to make an excellent first impression on fans in Riyadh for his opening match as AC Milan manager in the EA Sports FC Italian Supercup semi-final versus Juventus.
The Portuguese, who replaced compatriot Paulo Fonseca in charge at the beginning of the week, is in the unique situation of spending his debut competing against son Francisco Conceicao, who plays as a winger for Juventus.
However, speaking at the pre-match press conference for the semi-final at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh on Friday at 10pm, Conceicao says family feelings will stop for 90 minutes with full focus on reaching Monday’s final.
Conceicao said: “We have a huge responsibility which is defending the colours of one of the most historical clubs in football. We have a strong fan base, not only here but also elsewhere globally and we will do our best to make our supporters happy and proud. We have to play aggressively against Juventus. Our goal is to penetrate Juventus’ defence as a complete team, not by relying on individual players. Having my son on the opposing team won’t affect me. My goal is clear: to win like I do in any other match. There is no place for feelings on the field. There are many Portuguese players and coaches here in Saudi. It’s a league that is growing a lot and quickly. We can literally feel the passion for football and the will to grow. Many important players are contributing to this evolution.”
Motta said: “Thank you very much for the hospitality. We are in a very pleasant environment to do our job and give our best. We must be able to not let the change in AC Milan leadership influence us. We are ready for everything; we must be the main character. Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli added: “It has been great hospitality; we have been hosted in a very pleasant way. Juventus is supported around the world, and this motivates us to win. The Saudi league is developing, it has improved a lot. They invested very well, and it will grow even more internationally.”
Maignan said: “It’s a very important game for us as players, management, and as a fan base. Me and my team-mates made a pact that moving forward we will do our best. We have high ambitions, will keep doing our best and need to be cautious and follow the coach’s instructions.”
