- AC Milan play Juventus in Friday's EA Sports FC Italian Supercup semi-final at Al Awwal Park
- Family affair sees AC Milan boss Sergio Conceicao face son Francisco, who plays for Juventus
- 'Francisco will focus on the game as he always does, either if he's in the starting 11 or as substitute. It's an important game, and this is the only thing that he will do' – Thiago Motta, Juventus manager
Riyadh – January 2, 2025: Sergio Conceicao wants to make an excellent first impression on fans in Riyadh for his opening match as AC Milan manager in the EA Sports FC Italian Supercup semi-final versus Juventus.
The Portuguese, who replaced compatriot Paulo Fonseca in charge at the beginning of the week, is in the unique situation of spending his debut competing against son Francisco Conceicao, who plays as a winger for Juventus.
However, speaking at the pre-match press conference for the semi-final at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh on Friday at 10pm, Conceicao says family feelings will stop for 90 minutes with full focus on reaching Monday's final.
Conceicao said: 'We have a huge responsibility which is defending the colours of one of the most historical clubs in football. We have a strong fan base, not only here but also elsewhere globally and we will do our best to make our supporters happy and proud.
'We have to play aggressively against Juventus. Our goal is to penetrate Juventus' defence as a complete team, not by relying on individual players.
'Having my son on the opposing team won't affect me. My goal is clear: to win like I do in any other match. There is no place for feelings on the field.'
The growth of football in Saudi Arabia – where some 80% of the population either play, attend, or follow the game – has been noticed across the globe, and Conceicao praised the passion for football in the Kingdom.
The EA Sports FC Supercup is being staged in Saudi Arabia for the fifth time. AC Milan enter the competition as runners up of last season's Serie A, while Juventus are included as Coppa Italia winners. Serie A champions Inter Milan, the current Supercup holders, won Serie A, while Atalanta lost to Juve in May's Coppa Italia final. Inter play Atalanta at Al Awwal Park on Thursday night.
Conceicao said: 'There are many Portuguese players and coaches here in Saudi. It's a league that is growing a lot and quickly. We can literally feel the passion for football and the will to grow. Many important players are contributing to this evolution.'
Thiago Motta, the Juventus manager, agreed that on this occasion football will come before family for the Conceicao clan.
Motta said: 'Francisco will focus on the game as he always does, either if he's in the starting 11 or as substitute. It's an important game, and this is the only thing that he will do.'
Motta, who won the UEFA Champions League as a player with both Barcelona and Inter Milan and was appointed Juventus manager last summer, also praised the warm welcome received in Riyadh.
Motta said: 'Thank you very much for the hospitality. We are in a very pleasant environment to do our job and give our best. We must be able to not let the change in AC Milan leadership influence us. We are ready for everything; we must be the main character.'
Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli added: 'It has been great hospitality; we have been hosted in a very pleasant way. Juventus is supported around the world, and this motivates us to win. The Saudi league is developing, it has improved a lot. They invested very well, and it will grow even more internationally.'
Mike Maignan, the AC Milan goalkeeper, revealed his team-mates came together and made a pact following the appointment of their new boss.
Maignan said: 'It's a very important game for us as players, management, and as a fan base. Me and my team-mates made a pact that moving forward we will do our best. We have high ambitions, will keep doing our best and need to be cautious and follow the coach's instructions.'
EA Sports FC Italian Supercup
- The first EA Sports FC Supercup hosted in Saudi Arabia took place in Jeddah in 2019, with Juventus crowned champions.
- Subsequently, Riyadh served as the host city for the 2019 Supercoppa Italiana, where Lazio secured the title.
- Riyadh also hosted the 2022 Supercoppa Italiana, played in 2023, as well as the 2023 Supercoppa Italiana, held in 2024, with both titles claimed by Inter.
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