Conceicao: ‘No Milan excuses, must win Champions League game’ | OneFootball

Milan coach Sergio Conceicao warns he has limited choices against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, but ‘no excuses, we just have to play and win this match.’

It kicks off at the Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb at 20.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action from today’s Champions League games on the Liveblog.

Although they have already secured a place in the play-offs, a sixth consecutive victory should be sufficient to guarantee a top eight finish and direct access to the Round of 16.

With Davide Calabria suspended, Emerson Royal, Malick Thiaw, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Alessandro Florenzi injured, plus new signing Kyle Walker cup-tied, Fikayo Tomori had to become a makeshift right-back.

Conceicao will not hear of Milan complaints

VERONA, ITALY – DECEMBER 20: Fikayo Tomori of AC Milan

applaud his fans during the Serie A match between Verona and AC Milan at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on December 20, 2024 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

“We are missing some players through injury or registration, so I made the choices that were suited to this game and have some youngsters on the bench, because we only have 17 players,” Conceicao told Sky Sport Italia.

“We must continue with what we have and not seek excuses. We just have to play and win this match.”

This is only Fabio Cannavaro’s third game in charge of Dinamo Zagreb, missing Bruno Petkovic and Petar Sucic, plus suspended Lukas Kacavenda.

Despite a terrible start to the competition, Milan have now won their last five Champions League matches and are on track to potentially finish in the top eight.

Those results were achieved both under Paulo Fonseca until December 30 and in 2025 with Conceicao at the helm.