Conceicao calls for unity as Milan miss out on Europe

Updated: May 18, 2025, 07:00 pm

May 19 (Reuters) - AC Milan manager Sergio Conceicao said things had not gone their way in what had been a turbulent campaign and urged his team to unite going forward after Sunday's 3-1 defeat at AS Roma dashed their hopes of European football next season.

It has been a season to forget for Milan, who sit ninth and are mathematically out of contention for any European competition next season.

After a narrow 1-0 loss in the Coppa Italia final against Bologna on Wednesday, the Portuguese manager is aware of the negative atmosphere around the club.

"The mood was not easy to deal with after the final, with incidents not just then, but throughout my five months here that did not go our way," Conceicao told DAZN.

"They are always negative for us and positive for the opposition, either through our own errors or those of others."

Conceicao added that the season had not been entirely negative since he arrived in January.

"I am not saying it was a good season or perfect five months, absolutely not, but there were some positives too. We won the Italian Super Cup, we reached the Coppa Italia final, but when it came to the key games, there were negative moments," he said.

With a touchline ban for the final match of the season at home against Monza following his dismissal for dissent in the defeat to Roma, the under-pressure manager may have taken charge of the team for the last time.

"I don’t want excuses, I am passionate about football and it saddens me that I cannot be there with my players. We must try to be united in a season that was not easy and take responsibility." (Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk Editing by Toby Davis)