Milan director Geoffrey Moncada has stated that the club has ‘total faith’ in their coach, Sergio Conceicao, who has been under pressure recently. Moncada also clarified that Conceicao addressed the controversy caused by his spokesman.
The team is set to play against Lecce at Stadio Via del Mare at 17.00 GMT.
Milan is currently facing a difficult period. Following their Champions League exit in the play-offs to Feyenoord, they have suffered three consecutive defeats in Serie A, causing them to drop to ninth place in the league standings.
Adding to the turmoil, there was controversy when Conceicao’s spokesman, Francisco Empis, resigned after reportedly telling the media that the coach was unhappy with the players’ attitude and the club’s management. This prompted a strong reaction from Conceicao himself.
Moncada and Milan Support Conceicao
Regarding how Milan’s management handled the situation, Moncada explained to DAZN: “The coach spoke with us and was very clear. There are no issues between us, and we have a very good relationship. Zlatan (Ibrahimovic) and I are always with him at Milanello. For the first time in a while, we had a full week to train, and we aim to build on this.”
Speculation has been growing about Milan seeking a director of sport for the next season, with Igli Tare being a likely candidate. This comes as the responsibilities of the current management structure are not entirely defined.
Moncada commented on this, “I believe the role of a director of sport is important in football. If someone can benefit Milan, we are open to finding them, but it’s not a pressing matter.”
With Milan in ninth place in Serie A, European qualification remains a key objective. Moncada addressed how qualifying for Europe would impact their budget and plans for next season: “It’s important because there are still 11 games left. The season isn’t over, and we also have the Coppa Italia semi-final derby against Inter.”
He added, “We are not pleased with our current situation, we are determined, and we want to get Milan back to winning ways.”
For the game against Lecce, Sergio Conceicao is making significant changes to the team. Mike Maignan and Strahinja Pavlovic are suspended, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Emerson Royal are injured. In addition, key players like Joao Felix, Rafael Leao, and Youssouf Fofana have been dropped to the bench.
Santiago Gimenez and Theo Hernandez will retain their places in the starting lineup, and January signing Warren Bondo is set to make his debut.
Moncada concluded, “We are here to secure a win tonight. We have complete confidence in the coach and support his work every day.”