AC Milan's Conceicao Plays Down Rivalry with Inter's Inzaghi

AC Milan manager Sergio Conceicao says his friendship with Inter Milan counterpart Simone Inzaghi won't be affected by their Italian Super Cup final clash.

AC Milan manager Sergio Conceicao has downplayed the potential impact of his friendship with Inter Milan counterpart Simone Inzaghi on their upcoming Italian Super Cup final clash. Conceicao emphasized that their personal bond will not be compromised by the intense rivalry between their clubs.

Conceicao is set to face Inzaghi in the Italian Super Cup final in Riyadh on Monday, just days after making his debut as AC Milan manager in a 2-1 semi-final win over Juventus on Friday. This high-profile encounter will be Conceicao's second match at the helm of the Rossoneri.

Sergio Conceicao and Simone Inzaghi share a history that predates their managerial careers, having played together at Lazio in the early 2000s. Conceicao, now the manager of AC Milan, and Inzaghi, at the helm of Inter Milan, will face off in the Italian Super Cup final on Monday.

The two coaches last met in the dugout during the 2022-23 Champions League last 16, when Conceicao's Porto lost 1-0 to Inter on aggregate. Their previous encounter was marked by heated exchanges on the sidelines, but Conceicao has downplayed the incident. “I will definitely shake his hand,” Conceicao said during a press conference on Sunday. “Back when I was at Porto, there were incidents that are part of (that) game. Of course, I respect him.”

Conceicao emphasized that his personal relationship with Inzaghi remains strong, despite their competitive rivalry. “We are men of football, we played together and love each other,” Conceicao said. “He will be my friend before and after the match. During the game, though, we will be opponents.”

Simone Inzaghi revealed that he and Sergio Conceicao have not been in touch since their last encounter. “We have not seen or spoken to each other since, but nothing extraordinary happened,” Inzaghi told reporters. He reflected on their shared past as teammates at Lazio, where they were mentored by renowned coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. “We were together for many years, and shared a dressing room. We had a great teacher in our former (Lazio) coach (Sven-Goran) Eriksson, who led many of us players into the coaching profession.”

AC Milan may still be without the services of winger Rafael Leao, who has missed their last two games due to a muscle injury. Meanwhile, Inter Milan's forward Marcus Thuram is doubtful for the Italian Super Cup final, having sustained a thigh injury during Thursday's 2-0 semi-final win over Atalanta in Riyadh.

Sergio Conceicao provided an update on Rafael Leao's fitness, saying: “We will have to assess the situation. He is definitely not at 100% to play 90 minutes. I’ll make a decision after training.” Conceicao's cautious approach suggests that Leao's availability for the Italian Super Cup final remains uncertain.