Conceicao explains in-game changes made against Empoli and praises Milan’s attitude | OneFootball

Sergio Conceicao has once again stressed that his AC Milan side are on a journalist and that they must continue to make improvements.

After 45 minutes of the game at the Stadio Carlo Castellani it looked like being another very frustrating evening for Milan against a side that they should be beating on paper, with the teams going in level at the break.

However, Santiago Gimenez, Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao all came on for the start of the second half and – after Fikayo Tomori and Luca Marianucci had seen red cards – Pulisic set up each of his fellow substitutes in an eventual 2-0 win.

Conceicao spoke at his post-match press conference after the full-time whistle following the win over Empoli to offer his thoughts on the win and the clean sheet, with MilanPress relaying his comments.

“There are still things we need to improve. The lads understood that today was a difficult and important match for us, against an aggressive team that always looks for space in behind, always looks for second balls. And the weather wasn’t even good,” he said.

“We had to play a match at their same level in terms of attitude and we did it. Then the quality we have will definitely come out sooner or later. After Tomori’s red card, we stayed with the same players, many attacking players in the match.

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“I dropped Joao Felix deeper, moved Musah to the right and Walker to the centre with Pavlovic. The risk was mine, I thought, because I know that at this moment the players who were on the pitch could give me something important with the ball. I had faith in this and I had this very, very positive response.

“We work every day to improve, to have an evolution in each player for what I want in the different moments of the game. There must be an acceptance because I ask for different things than before, I don’t say better, I don’t want to get into this discussion.

“What leaves me calm is their acceptance, knowing that there is a path to take. When it is like this, it becomes easier for the coach, for them. You win games, the spirit is different. We know that there is a path to take and we haven’t done anything yet. We won a game, 3 points, we are already thinking about next Wednesday.

“The changes? I felt that I had to give something more in attack to the team. I knew the quality of Rafa, Christian and Santiago. However, those who came off also have quality, different characteristics and I felt that at that moment we would have needed something more to win the match.”