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00:00Let's get started with the questions. Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the pre-match
00:07press conference ahead of Milan Bologna, the Coppa Italia final. Sergio Conceição and Mike
00:12Menon. We'll start with Milan TV. Thank you. Thank you, Nicola. Good afternoon, coach. Good
00:23afternoon, Mike. Coach, thinking about the Coppa Italia, the Super Cup, this is Milan's
00:3155th final over the course of the history. Is it more pressure or are you more excited
00:37about this final? Good afternoon, everyone. I think this pressure, the weight of expectation
00:48is part of Milan's history. We feel that pressure day in, day out, each and every one of us,
00:55and it's only natural at big clubs. Therefore, we need to focus on not everything that's gone
01:02on in the past, but on tomorrow's game. I think we need to focus on that, what we need to do,
01:11the opposition, who are different, and the different areas of the game that we need to
01:17address compared with Friday's game against Bologna. We need to be ready for this match.
01:23Thank you, coach. Mike, you know absolutely everything about the team that you're captain
01:29of, the soul of it, the tough times that you've encountered together this season. In light of
01:35everything that's come to pass this season, how much desire and hunger do you have to want
01:40to bring home this important piece of silverware, Mike? We have huge hunger, because we want
01:47to bring this trophy home to us, for all of the Milan fans. And we know how important it
01:57is to play finals and to win finals for Milan. Sky, for the head coach, my question is relatively
02:12simple. Since you've been at Milan and since you've been Milan head coach, do you think this
02:18is the best your Milan team have played? In terms of our results, yes, there have been positive results,
02:29but that's only natural. Because I know the group of players a lot better, the coaching staff know the
02:39team a lot better. The team have evolved and developed individually and as a group. It was very hard to
02:48work over the first three months. We didn't have too much time. We've already addressed that. There's
02:53no point repeating all of that. But we men, and I'm talking in general terms, we depend on results.
03:01We depend a great deal on the results. We want to bring back another important result in tomorrow night's
03:07game, which will give us a piece of silverware and secure European football next term.
03:12Thanks, coach. Mike, you look angry in the positive sense of the word. We were at the
03:18Quirinale today in Rome today. You've been at Milan for a number of years now. What's the mood like in
03:26the squad? Are you hungry? Are you concerned? Are you afraid? Do you want to get revenge for this
03:32season? What's the feeling ahead of the 90 minutes tomorrow? We know that tomorrow is an important
03:41day for our season, for where we are at the moment, for Milan in general, because we can write
03:48another positive chapter in the club's history. But we mustn't feel too much pressure. We need to
04:01keep those cool heads, which have allowed us to make it to the final. Sure, we're focused on giving
04:10absolutely everything tomorrow night. But we're not necessarily going to play any different brand
04:18football than we're used to. Hi, coach. I wanted to know how it feels to be back at this stadium
04:31where, as a footballer, you achieved a number of success. And from a tactical perspective, do you expect
04:42a different game compared to the opening 60 minutes that you encountered on Friday night against Bologna?
04:56I had some wonderful times in this stadium as a footballer, but that's all water under the bridge.
05:01Tomorrow we have a final where we need to be at the peak of our powers against a team that we're well
05:08aware of their intensity, their ability to contest every duel as if it were their last.
05:18So we need to make sure that we have the same attitude as them. Every match is different. Every
05:25match pans out differently. It depends a little bit on the details that come to pass in every second of
05:32every match. We need to be ready for various scenarios in the knowledge that we'll probably be up against
05:41a different team to the Bologna side that we faced a few short days ago. Might be some different personnel.
05:50Looking at the skill set of these players, the game might be a little bit different.
05:55But we have worked. We have prepared the game very well. And we hope that we can give a good response tomorrow.
06:07Then Rai and then Ordine.
06:10Hi, Sergio.
06:14In the last few weeks,
06:15you have not only rediscovered Milan, but you've also rediscovered a number of the strikers. So who's
06:24going to play? Lukiovic or Santi Jimenez tomorrow? And I'll be short. I won't tell you.
06:32You're not even going to give us a steer?
06:35No, because I haven't told them yet. And I always speak to the team first.
06:40Both players have worked on the same thing, so they're not even sure themselves. They've got
06:46some question marks as well. Is that the only question, Carlo? No, that was the only question
06:50I had today. Okay. Let's go back to Francesco Rocchi. Good afternoon, coach. Good afternoon,
06:57Francesco. Lifting that trophy, would that change the meaning of this season for Milan?
07:05No, a season comes down to various phases, ups and downs. It would be a nice feeling if we're able
07:16to win that match and give the fans something to celebrate in the midst of what's been a difficult
07:23season. We're aware of that. That's what we have in our minds. We are here and we're angry,
07:33but we're always like that. We're delighted within us to be involved in this final, to come up against
07:39this excellent Bologna side. There is no fear. There is the natural adrenaline for a game that can
07:47afford you a piece of silverware. The team are very relaxed. I'm also responding to what Pepe asked me.
07:53The team are relaxed, but we're not too relaxed because we're up against a big team and an important
08:00match. Hi, Sergio. I wanted to ask you, given that you've repeated a few times, you said,
08:07I'll speak in due course, I'd like to ask you a direct question. Is that a promise or is that a threat
08:13for the future? It's neither one nor the other? Can I ask Menon a question? With this back three,
08:26do you feel it's more useful to the team? Does it give you a bit more security, a bit more calmness,
08:35or is the team just fitter as a result? No, I have confidence whether we play with a back three,
08:47back two or just one defender. Got a lot of faith in my teammates. It depends whether the wind blows in
08:56our direction. But if the wind goes against us at the back, we can concede goals. But if we're on
09:04good form, then we need to make the most of that. Because it hasn't always been the case.
09:10Hi, coach. Hi. Milan have an extra player against Bologna who was suspended for the league game,
09:30Rafael Liao. Could he be the trump card for Milan in a final in such an important match? How is Rafael
09:38Liao as well? Because he rested against Bologna in the league? No, he's good. We now have a training
09:48session at 6pm before the game. Rafael Liao is available for selection. Bologna certainly have
09:57Ndoi or Emil Holm that's come back as well. Maybe Odgaard too. Lewis Ferguson will probably start.
10:04So they also have different players that can go out there and play tomorrow. I think rather than the
10:10individual players that are important, it's the collective, it's the team which is the most
10:17important thing, more important than any individual player. Francesco Letizia and then Michael Cuomo.
10:24Good afternoon, both. The fans want to win this piece of silverware and their second thought is,
10:35let's hope that if we do win this trophy, that this could be an excuse then to say that it's been a
10:40positive season. Is this something that you guys have picked up on? Have you said that to one another?
10:45Are you aware of the fact that it's been a difficult season, but tomorrow evening could actually change
10:50your mood both for the head coach and indeed for the dressing room, the players within it?
10:59To be perfectly honest, everything that's already come to pass no longer matters. All that matters
11:05is tomorrow and we need to focus on the game tomorrow and we mustn't think about the past,
11:11nor must we think about what we did three or four days against Bologna, nor must we think about the
11:17upcoming match against Roma and then Monza. We must only focus on tomorrow's match.
11:25Sure, if we win, it will be positive for tomorrow. So our only aim is to think about what we can do
11:33tomorrow. Michael Cuomo and then Correo Sport. Good afternoon, coach. Best of luck. Thank you.
11:48A lot has been made about the squad this season. And then I see the footage of Alessandro Florencia,
11:53I realized that you do have a good team spirit. There's a solid strong team spirit. Do you realize
11:59that something's changed from the Udinese game away, the Derby, from the Udinese game onwards? Have
12:05you also felt that something's changed or was it simply a case that we couldn't necessarily pick
12:10up on it as much previously? Mike answered the previous question and I completely agree with what
12:19he had to say. With regards to the footage, we're there day in, day out and we believe in what we're
12:29doing and what we're working on. And that's important. Sure. Positive results always help to
12:37improve team spirit. But I'm aware of the fact that I have a squad of players that believe
12:46in what we're doing. And talk is cheap. People talk too much. It's in terms of the facts,
12:58because often we've been trailing in games, we've come from behind to win. That's because the players
13:04coming off the bench can actually add something to the team. And that's a sign, that's evidence of
13:09togetherness, of team spirit, of the respect that the players have towards us, the staff.
13:19So I'm fairly calm about that situation. I hope that we can once again harness that tomorrow right
13:24from the word go. Corri de lo Sport and then Adia with Pizzo Ferrato. Good afternoon, coach. Wanted to ask
13:32you the following. Over the course of this Cup campaign, you knocked out Inter, who are the
13:38Champions League finalists. How much self-belief did that two-legged tie against Inter give you?
13:44And in light of how the derbies have gone against Inter this season very well for Milan,
13:49are you aware of the fact that you are a very strong side? And how far off are you from competing at the
13:58summit? And it's not only Inter, we played a great performance against Roma in the quarterfinals as
14:06well. And when I'm talking about this season, I'm talking about the months that I've been in charge
14:13of the team. We haven't been as consistent as I would like us to be. Sure, we can talk about a number
14:18of different matches, different competitions, players that have been missing or not. But that's a whole
14:23different subject matter. And those are all excuses that the fans don't want to hear. The fans
14:28want results. And even when you get positive results, they've still got something to say.
14:32Because as I said earlier on, this is a historic club where they are used to getting results.
14:41Because there is that history, there is that pressure, there is that weight of expectation,
14:47that desire to constantly ask for more, even if we win things. That's only natural and normal.
14:52We have to accept that. And we mustn't think too much about too many different things. We need to
14:58focus on the work to do, the squad of players, and how it is we're able to produce a positive
15:04performance in terms of result, win the Coppa Italia against a team that, as I've said, have had
15:11a very positive league season. They've got a coach
15:14coach who's also used to matches such as these because you can see what he's done in recent years
15:22with the teams, as you said earlier on, against Inter, Juve. Bologna are very competitive and we need to focus
15:31on tomorrow night's game. Last few questions, Fabio. Good afternoon, Sergio. You have the record in
15:40Portugal in terms of cup competitions won. Can this help you? The experience that you had in Portugal,
15:53can it help you in a competition such as this? I won three Portuguese domestic titles, four
16:02Portuguese Cups and a League Cup as well. Yes, these competitions, these are pieces of silverware,
16:07trophies. We want to give a positive response. It doesn't matter whether it's League Cup that I won in
16:20Portugal, the Super Cup, the domestic title, that's all part and parcel of the past. All that matters
16:25tomorrow is the game. Mike, I wanted to ask you, this is the only piece of silver that you've not won
16:32in Italy. How keen are you to win it and maybe you want to achieve a bit more in Europe?
16:41For me, just like all the other players that are hungry to win trophies,
16:45it's hugely important to win this trophy and to win every possible piece of silverware. I've got the
16:54same desire like any other player to win. Daniele.
17:01Good afternoon, coach. Best of luck tomorrow. You look a little bit more relaxed ahead of a big game.
17:11Is that down to the fact that besides the results, the team is showing a number of things that you're
17:16working on during the week? For instance, the last game against Bologna, the switch to a back four,
17:23being versatile within the scope of the same game. Is there greater self-belief or are you simply
17:30hiding that tension? No, as I said earlier on, as head coach, I've been doing this job for 13 years
17:45and every game has its own pressure and weight of expectation. There's that desire to win it. There's
17:51the whole atmosphere around it. Sure, cup finals, trophies, when they're on the line,
18:01there's always that adrenaline, as I said earlier on. But it's not that I'm more or less relaxed.
18:07I'm not thinking what sort of facial expression I need to have in front of you to try and convey a
18:13message to show that I'm slightly more relaxed. No, I'm not thinking about any of that whatsoever.
18:18If I were behind a computer typing something, then you might be able to convey a message,
18:26but it's harder in front of you guys. I am who I am. This is who I am. Whether we seem angry or tense
18:33or whatever, whether there's any fear. No, there's no fear in life or in sport. There's that desire to
18:38compete, to take on an opponent. That's part of concentration and focus. It's all part of the spirit
18:46that players, the head coach, the coaching staff all have. Last question with Pietro Mazzara.
18:55Good afternoon, coach. Earlier on, you spoke about Liao coming back into the side. There's another player
19:01that should come back compared with the Friday's game, which is Yusuf Fofana. How important is it
19:07for him to return to actually stop Bologna from maybe finding Tai Stalinga between the lines like
19:13they did at San Siro? And is he 100% fit? We don't know at this stage. And I'm not bluffing here. This
19:21isn't mind games. Yusuf Fofana has a foot injury and we'll give him a late fitness test to see
19:28whether we can rely on him 100%. He did take part in the most recent training session, but it's a rather
19:36unique situation. So the doctor will know better than me. But I hope to have him available for
19:41selection tomorrow, just like the rest of the squad. I think Dalinga didn't necessarily receive too many
19:49balls between the lines. He's someone who attacks the space in behind. Yes, their midfielders did
19:55try and occupy the space between the lines. But I think we did a job, a good job of not allowing
20:00him to do so. Maybe it happened once or twice on Friday. As for this, I think you can maybe see the
20:12opposition play a bit more direct like they did at San Siro, but they were coming more to the tactical
20:17side of the game. That's it. I hope that Yusuf is available for selection. As for the tactical matters
20:25that you've spoken about, I don't think that's why we conceded more or less chances against Bologna.
20:32Thanks very much, everyone.