Conceicao praises Milan for avoiding Venetian vacation
Sergio Conceicao praised his AC Milan players for staying focused in the aftermath of their Coppa Italia victory over Inter, after they beat Venezia 2-0 in Serie A.
Milan advanced to the domestic cup final with a 3-0 triumph over its Derby della Madonnina rival, teeing up a showpiece meeting with Bologna.
Although the Rossoneri have been off the pace in Serie A this season, they kept their slim hopes of European qualification alive as Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez struck at at the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo.
"It wasn't easy after the derby to have the concentration that we have lacked in recent months," Conceicao said. "Competitive focus is key. It's not easy to come here, it's a team that presses a lot, that has quality, that plays directly, has fast players up front.
"Then it's special to play here, you arrive by boat, only the palm trees are missing, and you feel like you're on holiday. It was essential to win today to give solidity to the victory in the semi-finals of the cup."
Gimenez, a February signing from Feyenoord who made a blistering start to his Milan career, scoring three times in his first four games but has since struggled, came off the bench to net Milan's second goal.
Conceicao hopes that strike can spur the Mexican to greater heights, saying: "He's aware that he is not at his best.
"He told me immediately afterwards that the game had not gone well but the goal was important. He has to look at what he needs to do, how he can work for the team with and without the ball.
"Then the goals will certainly come because he is good and the group knows his qualities."
Milan remains ninth in the standings with Conceicao's future at the club constantly under scrutiny, but the manager has little interest in that topic for now.
"Conceicao is not important right now, Milan is important," he said."I work many hours a day with my staff. Then, you can lose games as has happened in recent months.
"In a month or so, I too will say what I want. It may be that I too have other thoughts, such as going on holiday in the Algarve in Portugal for 10 years, I don't know."
