CONCEIÇÃO: "START STRONGLY AND WIN"

A two-legged tie that's worth so much. At 21:00 CEST on Wednesday, the first act of a big showdown in the Coppa Italia semi-finals will take place as AC Milan face Inter at San Siro. On the eve of the cross-city clash, Coach Conceição held his pre-match press conference.

DERBY IN THE CUP
"The derby is always an important game for everyone given the context, but it's a different time and a few of the players will be different. Inter are always a strong side, but we want to start the game strongly to reach our aim, which is winning."

COPPA ITALIA AS A ROUTE TO EUROPE
"We need to focus on the game and nothing else. It's true that it is the shortest route, but we still have a few games in the league that we need to play and win."

RAFA LEÃO
"The group is doing well, and they are all available. We still have a session tomorrow; today, the starters from Napoli did their own session. It's up to me to choose; we have a strong starting 11, and I'm happy that the subs are coming on and making an impact. You can't play with 26 starters. I've known Rafa for years, I watched him play as a youngster, and he needs to keep developing. In terms of talent, he's one of the best players in the world; he needs to find consistency in front of goal."

SANTI GIMENEZ AND JOÃO FÉLIX
"It's normal to need time to adapt when you come it Italy. It's not an easy league. In fact, it's one of the best, with great coaches and players. We need to keep Santi calm with the trust that we give him. The same goes for João."

ANOTHER TROPHY
"I'd be delighted to win another trophy, but first, we need to win the semis and then the final. I don't like to predict the future, but I do like to take it day by day in order to improve the team on a professional and personal level."

TACTICAL BALANCE
"I like my team to play short, but it's hard without the right coordination. When we don't act as a unit, it gets harder, and we get more vulnerable."

CUP COACH
"Coaches either win or they don't win. Cups have a different weight, Serie A or the Champions League are different, but there are no league coaches and cup coaches."

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