Sergio Conceição does not give up. And Milan, increasingly considering Igli Tare and Cesc Fabregas for next season, intends to finish the 2024-25 campaign with the Portuguese coach.
With qualification for the 2025-26 Champions League now out of reach, the hope is that the team can at least lift the Coppa Italia and secure a Europa League spot, which remains attainable through the league.
Exclusions and Milanello...
Yesterday, on a scheduled day off, the former Porto coach showed up at Milan’s training center. No rest for him—just hours of discussions and work with his staff. They analyzed the defeat against Lazio, starting with individual and team data, but also turned their focus to the upcoming match against Lecce, where some big names are expected to be left out. In the first half against Lazio, Milan lacked intensity compared to their opponents, and after three consecutive league defeats, a shake-up is inevitable—both in terms of personnel and tactics.
Conceição refuses to passively wait for the season to end. As a true professional, he won’t accept leaving without giving more than 100%, and he expects the same from his players. The goal must be to win the Coppa Italia. Before the double derby against Inter in April, however, there are three Serie A matches that must be approached with a different mentality.
Last Saturday, Conceição stated that in this "full" week without official matches, he would work on some tactical adjustments—from a three-man defense (3-5-2 and 3-4-3) to a more compact setup on the wings (4-4-2). Starting today, tactical trials will begin. Theo Hernandez and Leao risk losing their starting spots, while players with strong motivation and willingness to track back may get a chance. Some examples? Sottil was tested before Bologna, but attention should also be paid to Chukwueze, and of course, Walker, who showed leadership qualities against Lazio.
Are Igle Tare and Cesc Fabregas linked with Milan?
After Sunday's defeat, Milan's executives did not speak publicly, but inside San Siro, they met with Conceição to encourage him. Today, they will be at Milanello. They continue to have faith in the Portuguese coach because they recognize his work and are convinced that the squad still follows him. Just as in the Italian Super Cup, they hope this group can produce a surge of pride in the Coppa Italia.
However, work on next season’s Milan continues, and a new sporting director will join the current management. Tare is highly regarded for his ability to identify talent and manage the locker room. While further talks are pending, Igli remains ahead of Paratici, who nonetheless demonstrated at Tottenham that he can integrate into an international working group similar to what he would find at Milan.
The new sporting director will be involved in selecting the next head coach, but Fabregas is an intriguing candidate due to his footballing philosophy and how he has built this year's Como team. At the moment, Cesc must be considered the top choice—unless there is a sudden shift toward one of the high-profile names overlooked last summer, particularly Sarri and Allegri.
Source: La Gazzetta dello Sport.
