Sergio Conceicao has brought back the feelgood factor to AC Milan as the seven-time European champions host Cagliari on Saturday still on a high from a dramatic Italian Super Cup triumph over local rivals and Serie A kings Inter Milan.
Little has gone right for Milan this season, with supporters demanding American owners RedBird sell the club as inconsistent performances and results left one of Italy’s footballing giants miles off the title pace.
But the manner with which Conceicao has started his San Siro reign, replacing compatriot Paulo Fonseca just as Milan set off for Saudi Arabia and commandeering his new team to two fine wins over Juventus and Inter, has completely changed the atmosphere around the club.
Two goals down a minute into the second half of Monday’s final in Riyadh, few would have back Milan to bounce back against Italian champions Inter.
But Milan showed the sort of courage rarely seen this season to snatch victory deep in stoppage time, just as Conceicao did on his playing debut in Italy in 1998, when the Portuguese scored a last-gasp goal to win the Super Cup for Lazio.
Videos of Conceicao dancing for his players while smoking a chunky cigar in triumph immediately flew around social media and were shared by delighted fans in chat groups, celebrating an unexpected success and goading rivals Interisti who have lorded it over Milan in recent seasons.
“As soon as we got back into the dressing room the players asked me to dance and smoke a cigar because they knew that it’s my ritual when I win a trophy,” said Conceicao.
Combative, charismatic Conceicao fits the profile fans wanted in the summer when they demanded league-leading Napoli boss Antonio Conte and the 50-year-old now has to guide Milan to the Champions League spots.
Milan are eighth and trail fourth-placed Lazio, who host Como on Friday hoping to bounce back from a Rome derby defeat, by eight points having played two matches fewer.
One of those games in hand is at Como on Tuesday evening as the Super Cup contenders — the Milan clubs, Juventus and Atalanta — play the league fixtures they missed just after the turn of the year.
And Conceicao will see whether Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez’s sensational performances against Inter are a sign of things to come from two players who frequently clashed with Fonseca.
“After this kind of win players can lose motivation and get complacent,” added Conceicao.
“That can’t happen because we need to keep showing that we have a winner’s attitude. Milan do not belong in seventh or eighth place in the league.”
Inter will try to cut the four-point gap separating them from Napoli at struggling Venezia where coach Simone Inzaghi will be without injured midfield talisman Hakan Calhanoglu.
However Marcus Thuram, who missed the Super Cup final, should be back for a packed schedule in which Inter host Bologna on Wednesday and then have two Champions League fixtures in as many weeks, with direct qualification for the last 16 yet to be secured.
Player to watch: Charles De Ketelaere
Atalanta enter a key period for their unprecedented Scudetto bid and star attacker De Ketelaere will be crucial with home clashes against Juventus and Napoli coming next week.
Belgium forward De Ketelaere has scored 10 times and set up nine more in all competitions this season and will line up alongside Ademola Lookman in an unusual strike pairing of two wingers at Udinese on Saturday afternoon.
Italy striker Mateo Retegui is unlikely to be back before the visit of Napoli and may yet miss next weekend’s clash at the Gewiss Stadium which will provide a serious test of their league title credentials.
Atalanta trail Napoli by three points but will play their game in hand on Tuesday against Juve, who first take on local rivals Torino on Saturday.
Fixtures (times GMT)
Friday
Lazio v Como (1945)
Saturday
Empoli v Lecce, Udinese v Atalanta (1400), Torino v Juventus (1700), AC Milan v Cagliari (1945)
Sunday
Genoa v Parma (1130), Venezia v Inter Milan (1400), Bologna v Roma (1700), Napoli v Verona (1945)
Monday
Monza v Fiorentina (1945)
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