Sergio Conceicao: What to expect from new AC Milan coach

After months of speculation, Serie A giants AC Milan finally cut ties with Paulo Fonseca.

Hired last summer as a replacement for the title-winning Stefano Pioli, it was hoped that Fonseca would build on the work of his predecessor, who had led the club to a second-place finish in his last season.

Pioli spent five seasons at the San Siro, winning the club's first league title since the 2010/11 season within that period. However, Fonseca up until being fired as Milan coach, had only tasted success at Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. The 51-year-old won the double in all three seasons of his spell at Shakhtar Donetsk, a feat that remains his biggest managerial achievement to date. 

However, Milan were willing to bank on him to build on Pioli's work. Perhaps the idea behind Fonseca's hire was that he played an attractive brand of football that closely matched what the Rossoneri were used to under Pioli.

Pioli had driven AC Milan the furthest he possibly could and needed a break. It was thought that Fonseca only needed to tweak a few things, and the Milan engine that won the league two seasons ago would return. 

At least the the bulk of the players who won the club's first Scudetto in ten seasons under Pioli were still at the club, and there were new quality additions in the form of Youssouf Fofana, Tammy Abraham, Alvaro Morata, Alex Jimenez, Emerson Royal and Strahinja Pavlovic. 

Milan also kept all their best players. Another transfer window passed, and Rafa Leao and Theo Hernandez were still at the club. 

However, things went from bad to worse under Fonseca, and he was dismissed with AC Milan sitting in eighth place, 14 points adrift of surprise Serie A contenders Atalanta and Napoli at the top of the table. 

Although they have faced better success in the Champions League, where they sit 12th with four matches won, including a notable 3-1 victory over Real Madrid, inconsistency and a perceived lack of motivation from the players led to his dismissal.

In another circumstance, Fonseca may have been spared as he leaves Milan with 12 wins in 24 games (six draws and six defeats). But the San Siro side are desperate for improvement, and saw Sergio Conceicao as the man to restore the club. 

But who is Sergio Conceicao, and what exactly does he bring to the San Siro?

What can AC Milan ticket buyers expect from the former Porto coach?

Here are a few things to note about Conceicao and what AC Milan fans can expect from him. 

Read more: Six things we have learnt about Serie A in 2024/2025 so far

Managerial Career and Achievements

Unlike Fonesca, whose only major success came outside of Europe's traditional top seven leagues, Sergio Conceicao's managerial CV includes success with FC Porto. 

The 50-year-old started his managerial career with Portuguese minnows SC Olhanense before stints at hometown club Coimbra, Braga and Vitoria Guimaraes and Ligue 1 side FC Nantes.

He was hired as Porto coach in July 2017 and tasked with ending Benfica's Liga Portugal dominance. In a very short time, he propelled Porto back to the top of Portuguese football, winning the title in his debut season with 88 points from 34 games. 

Another two titles followed in 2020 and 2022. He also had success in domestic cup competitions, winning four Taca de Portugal trophies, the Portuguese League Cup, and three Portuguese Super Cups.

In all, he won 11 trophies at the Estádio do Dragão, setting the record for most games as club manager. Interestingly, Porto equalled Milan's incredible record of 58 league games unbeaten under Conceicao, a feat that the Rossoneri achieved from May 1991 to March 1993 under Arrigo Sacchi and then Fabio Capello.

Conceicao oversaw 265 wins in 368 games in charge, including impressive wins over Arsenal, Chelsea, and Juventus in the UEFA Champions League. 

Tactics 

Conceicao uses a possession-based 4-2-3-1 formation.

Porto fans were kept entertained during Conceicao's seven years in charge as he brought an attractive style of play that emphasised the Dragons keeping possession. 

His approach is all about making the defence strong and being able to go on the attack quickly.

While at FC Porto, Conceicao made the team one of the best defensive sides in Portuguese football. During the 2021/22 season, for example, the Dragons only conceded 22 goals in 34 league matches.

Unlike Fonseca, whose focus was on his side owning the ball, doing super-complex passes, and having all the players in the right position, Conceicao is more down-to-earth and focuses on adapting to the game and exploiting weaknesses in the opposition.

The 50-year-old is also not afraid to make bold tactical decisions that sometimes lead to a clash of heads. While Fonseca tries to force his style on his players no matter who they are, Conceicao adjusts his tactics to deal with the opposition. 

For example, he does not have any inhibitions when starting players who are more suitable to his system rather than perhaps technically gifted.

Interestingly, his style is quite similar to that of the 2021/22 Milan side managed by Stefano Pioli, particularly in terms of direct transitions and wide attacking play.

Players like Rafael Leão and Theo Hernández, who are well known for their explosiveness and ability to thrive in open spaces, are likely to do really well under the new manager.

Managerial style and temperament 

Besides being a tactically astute manager, Conceicao is an extremely passionate coach who won't accept his players' standards dropping. 

The 50-year-old is a born winner and emphasises discipline and commitment. He has already set out to stamp his authority on the current Milan squad just two weeks in. 

According to reports, the AC Milan manager has introduced some new rules, including limited smartphone use, a daily weight test, and no slippers for lunch or meetings.

While he is likely to ruffle feathers at the club, Conceicao is also a manager who knows how to relate with his players. The 50-year-old knows how to balance discipline and being friendly with his players. His famous cigar-smoking celebration at Porot, which he has hilariously repeated at AC Milan, shows that he is not all tough; he also has a friendly side.  

However, for Conceicao, winning is everything, and he has shown it by beating Juventus and Inter Milan to win the Supercoppa Italiana. 

Ability to develop players 

Another quality Conceicao has is the ability to spot talent and develop players. 

Several of Europe's shining stars developed under him at the Estadio do Dragao. Liverpool attacker Luis Diaz is a prime example. The Colombian enjoyed his time with Conceicao, scoring 41 goals and 19 assists under the Portuguese before leaving for the Reds in a £37.5 million deal.

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha, Real Madrid defender Eder Militao, and Bournemouth striker Evanilson also got their breaks under Conceicao. 

The new AC Milan boss has an eye for talent and a proven knack for helping players reach their potential, and even former Real Madrid and England manager Fabio Capello acknowledged this. 

Speaking about Conceicao in the summer when he was first linked with the AC Milan job, Cappelo said:

"As a coach, he has done very, very well at Porto, demonstrating great tactical and attacking attention. His teams are solid and balanced, we saw it in the Champions League. He's a coach capable of working with both important players and prospective players; he brings out the best in everyone. He is used to building and doing it with a winning mentality. He made this with the philosophy of Porto, where historically, value is created by winning."

Milan's unique challenges 

However, despite Conceicao's impressive CV, he has a lot of work to do at AC Milan.

The former Porto man inherits a Milan team that is struggling for consistency with injuries to several key players.

Christian Pulisic, who, alongside Tijjani Reijnders, has scored the most Serie A goals for the club this season, is out with an ankle problem he picked up after recovering from a calf injury. 

Rafael Leao and Ruben Loftus-Cheek recently joined the injury list, with Alvaro Morata and Ismael Bennacer having only just returned to fitness. 

Conceicao will also have to manage some big egos at the club. Fonseca clashed with Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez, sometimes going overboard with his toughness. 

Conceicao will have to find a way around both players, as well as getting the best out of some underperfoming stars. 

There is also the problem of squad depth that needs to be addressed. Kyle Walker and Marcus Rashford have been linked with January moves. Although both players could still contribute, they may only be a temporary solution, given that their best years seem to be behind them.