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England defender Kyle Walker could be forgiven for having some regrets over leaving Manchester City for AC Milan. Especially after seeing close up how his new team is performing, with even Milan coach Srgio Conceio saying his players are lacking footballing basics. Walker joined Milan last week on loan, with the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season. He watched Milan's rollercoaster win over lowly Parma from the stands at San Siro last weekend. The Rossoneri were trailing 2-1 in injury time before two stoppage-time goals. Walker, who was cup tied, was also just an observer on Wednesday for Milan's Champions League match at Dinamo Zagreb, where the 10-man Rossoneri lost 2-1. But Walker, who won six Premier League titles and the Champions League in seven seasons at City, insists he hasn't had any second thoughts even when Milan was 2-0 down at home to Parma. Definitely not. It's football. Things happen in football, he said. But by the end of the game, we won 3
New AC Milan coach Sergio Conceio dropped down to his knees on the San Siro sideline, unleashed a loud scream and then wrapped his arms around an assistant in an emotional embrace when Samuel Chukwueze bundled in the winner five minutes into stoppage time. Conceio has struggled at times to transmit his desire and grit to a team that has been inconsistent in Serie A. He was clearly moved by Milan's ability to stay focused this time, though, as the Rossoneri scored two late goals to secure a 3-2 victory against promoted Parma on Sunday. Conceio's grit was also evident after the final whistle when he had to be restrained during a heated exchange with Milan captain Davide Calabria. It's like with your kids when you go to a restaurant and they misbehave and you yell at them. That's how I am, Conceio said. Maybe we said a bit too much. But we're creating a strong bond with the players. Conceio also guided Milan to comeback wins over Juventus and Inter Milan en route to the Italian Super
It took exactly one week on the job for Sergio Conceicao to earn his first trophy as AC Milan's coach with two comeback wins no less. Milan came back from two goals down to beat city rival Inter Milan 3-2 and win the Italian Super Cup on Monday. Rafael Leao came off the bench and played a part in all three of Milan's goals from Theo Hernandez, Christian Pulisic and Tammy Abraham. Conceicao was hired to replace the fired Paulo Fonseca last Monday and also led the Rossoneri to a comeback win over Juventus in the semifinals. So what changed with Conceicao? We played with confidence, courage and hunger, Abraham said. We're a strong team. Added Pulisic, He told us we need to have more hunger and that that's more important than tactics. After the semifinals, Conceicao was asked if he embraced his players. I'm not so nice and I'm not someone who hugs, he said. I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to win. But after the final, Conceicao was seen dancing with his players and smoking
AC Milan and Bologna advanced to the Italian Cup quarterfinals with convincing victories. Milan thrashed Serie B leader Sassuolo 6-1, while Bologna routed Serie A struggler Monza 4-0. The Rossoneri will face either Roma or Sampdoria in the last eight. Bologna will play the winners of Atalanta's match against Cesena. Both those round of 16 matches take place next week. Tuesday's match at San Siro was all but over after less than 23 minutes as Sassuolo was swept away by a double from Samuel Chukwueze and other goals by Tijjani Reijnders and Rafael Leo. It had been a much-changed starting lineup for Milan ahead of a tough Serie A trip to Atalanta on Friday and the Rossoneri made four further changes at halftime. Milan nevertheless extended its advantage through Davide Calabria and Tammy Abraham, either side of a consolation goal for Sassuolo from Samuele Mulattieri. Bologna scored two goals in each half, with Tommaso Pobega and Riccardo Orsolini netting in the first period and Benj
AC Milan secured its spot in next season's Champions League by winning 1-0 at Juventus -- barring any off-field developments. Olivier Giroud's goal late in the first half on Sunday was enough for Milan to secure a spot in the top four in Serie A as it left the Rossoneri six points above fifth-place Atalanta with just one match remaining. Milan also moved eight points above Juventus. However, the Bianconeri could still appeal the 10-point penalty it was given for false accounting. Coming into the match, Juventus was the only side that could possibly replace Milan in the top four in the Italian league. But its hopes had imploded last week after the points deduction and a 4-1 loss at Empoli. Milan knew a point would be enough and both sides had chances before Giroud broke the deadlock, five minutes before the break, when he peeled away from his marker to head Davide Calabria's cross into the far bottom corner. Juventus almost snatched an equalizer late on as Danilo's volley from a c
AC Milan beat Napoli for the second time in the space of less than two weeks and this time with more at stake as the Rossoneri won 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday. Ismal Bennacer scored shortly before the end of a first half that Napoli had dominated for long stretches. Both teams also hit the crossbar before Napoli midfielder Andr-Frank Zambo Anguissa was sent off 16 minutes from time, following two yellow cards in quick succession. The teams will meet again in Naples next Tuesday with the winner to play either Inter Milan or Benfica in the semifinals. Inter won the first leg of their quarterfinal 2-0. While Milan's victory was not as comprehensive as its 4-0 rout of Napoli when the two teams met in Serie A on April 2, it left the club in pole position to reach its first Champions League semifinal since it won the last of its seven titles in 2007. The match pitted the defending Italian champion against the team likely to take its trophy,
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his AC Milan teammates will all be getting new cars after the Italian club signed a partnership deal with automobile maker BMW on Wednesday. The German car manufacturer has become Milan's new Automotive Partner and Premium Partner, and will supply the team's players with BMW cars of their choice. "BMW, much like AC Milan, is a synonym for excellence, style and innovation, so we are truly delighted to embark on this journey and head toward a progressive and sustainable future together, for the benefit of all," Milan president Paolo Scaroni said. No financial details were disclosed, nor the length of the deal. Milan, however, called it a "multi-year partnership." "We talked about how well the brands are working together, we talked about innovation, about passion. That supersedes everything," Milan chief revenue officer Casper Stylsvig said. "We are never going to disclose commercial terms for any of our partners for various reasons. But this is also building A
Two starts. Three assists. Six points. The return of Zlatan Ibrahimovic to international soccer has been a resounding success for Sweden's national team, even though the AC Milan striker failed to score in either of the wins over Georgia or Kosovo in World Cup qualifying. At 39 years old, Ibrahimovic is about more than just goals at this stage of his career. He sees himself as a mentor to an exciting crop of young attackers, led by Alexander Isak. I told them, I do not have to score goals, I will help you instead,' said Ibrahimovic, who is no longer the complete focus of Sweden's attacking game plan like he was before retiring from international duty in 2016. Fears that Ibrahimovic's return would affect the balance of the team have so far proved unfounded, with Sweden following up a 1-0 win over Georgia on Thursday with a 3-0 victory at Kosovo on Sunday. There are much sterner tests to come for the Swedes notably at home against Spain in their next qualifier in September but coa
Former European champions Manchester United and AC Milan will meet in the round of 16 of the Europa League. Friday's draw sends Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic back to the English club where he played for two years, including the 2016-17 season when United won its only Europa League title. Seven-time European Cup winner Milan has never won the Europa League, or its predecessor the UEFA Cup -- the only continental title it has yet to win. Arsenal will face Olympiakos and goes back to Piraeus for its second straight game in the competition. Arsenal used the Olympiakos stadium as a neutral venue on Thursday to beat Benfica 3-2 in the home leg in the round of 32. Two-time UEFA Cup winner Tottenham plays the first leg at Dinamo Zagreb, and 1992 winner Ajax is at home first against Young Boys of Switzerland. Some venues could change due to national restrictions on travel and quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Molde is unlikely to play in Norway for the second leg against Granada of