GdS: Conceicao to rely on those ‘hungry to win’ – why Leao and Theo are at risk

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·5 March 2025

GdS: Conceicao to rely on those ‘hungry to win’ – why Leao and Theo are at risk

AC Milan must snap out of the latest crisis that they have found themselves in, and Sergio Conceicao will not longer make any exceptions for star players.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport report this morning, Conceiçao rallied around the team as training resumed yesterday at Milanello. He knows that ‘shock therapy’ – for example a training retreat – at this moment perhaps be counter-productive.

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The team are struggling with a lack of confidence, not helped by the strong protests at San Siro during the Lazio game. The Portuguese coach from Saturday in Lecce expects everyone to give more than 100% and with this in mind he will only send out those who will give guarantees in both phases.

In the last three defeats in the league, Milan have conceded twice in each game. At the Stadio Via del Mare there will be at least four changes to the starting XI, both due to suspensions and the coach’s choices as he searches for balance.

The presence of the management

According to the management and the coach, the problem is that the team have lost their composure due to the negative results and the climate around the club. Many players are also performing below their potential for this reason.

Yesterday, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Geoffrey Moncada showed up at Milanello to be close to the squad. The RedBird advisor and the Rossoneri technical director encouraged some players with whom they exchanged a few words before and after the end of the session.

Naturally, they also took stock of the situation with the coach. Stimulating a reaction in the dressing room was instead up to Conceiçao who expects to see a group that has the pleasure of playing football again and that is not weighed down by the pressure of the result.

On Tuesday it was a session with the squad divided into two groups so today more concrete signs will come about the team that will face Lecce, but beyond the line-up and the tactics it is the mindset and the predisposition to help the team that must change.

Run or out

Translated: whoever doesn’t run, will not be in the team. Conceiçao expects individuals to sacrifice themselves to recover the ball, but also to do more after winning it back.

The data from the match against Lazio have been carefully analysed and the choices on Saturday will be a consequence. Against Lecce, Milan must turn things around.

This is why Theo Hernandez will almost certainly be out to make room for Alex Jimenez and why Rafael Leao could start on the bench with Riccardo Sottil in his place, or with Samuel Chuwkueze on the right and Christian Pulisic on the opposite flank.

The rest of the evaluations will come based on the week’s training and the physical conditions of those who have not been at their best lately, from Pulisic to Santiago Gimenez, as well as Youssouf Fofana.

Six points are a must in the games against Lecce and then at home against Como, to arrive at the break with a little more tranquility. Then, they must turn it into a positive run.