FILE PHOTO: 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/File Photo
(Reuters) - AC Milan need to get back to reality when they host lowly Cagliari in Serie A on Saturday, coach Sergio Conceicao said after guiding his new team to the Italian Super Cup earlier this week.
Milan lifted their first trophy under Conceicao as Milan manager on Monday, a week after the Portuguese was appointed, when a stoppage-time goal from Tammy Abraham saw them complete a comeback 3-2 victory over city rivals Inter Milan.
"I think that those who think that winning a Super Cup is enough cannot work at Milan," Conceicao told a press conference on Friday.
"It's true, we enjoyed it and deserved it, but we are 17 points off the top of the table. A club that has won 19 championships and seven Champions Leagues cannot have their belly full with the Super Cup.
"So let's focus on tomorrow, we have to win and convince. The Super Cup is over."
The 2022 Serie A champions have equalled Inter on eight Super Cup wins, one fewer than record holders Juventus.
But Conceicao remained level-headed about the achievement, seeking further improvement from his team.
"One of the things that didn't go well in the derby in my opinion is that we made mistakes in pressing," Conceicao said.
"There are many things that need to be improved, without a doubt. The right way to experience a success is to think that there is another one ahead of us that is much more important.
"I enjoyed it, I even danced, but already on the plane back I was thinking about tomorrow's match."
Milan will be without midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek against 17th-placed Cagliari.
"He has a small problem and won't be there tomorrow," Conceicao told reporters. "I'm sorry, because he was growing physically."
Conceicao also said he had not yet discussed transfer targets with the club's leadership.
"I'll tell you the truth: the management tried to talk to me once or twice about these issues, but at the wrong times in my opinion, because there are matches (to be played)," he said.
"I prefer to talk about it at the right time. I know we have to talk about it, but not now. The most important thing is tomorrow."
The 50-year-old also remained tight-lipped about reports linking Milan with a move for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford.
"Rashford is a good player like many others, let's see what happens," Conceicao said.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
