Juventus v AC Milan: Family affair pits Sergio Conceicao against son Francisco in Riyadh

Conceicao Sr takes charge of AC Milan for the first time against Juventus in Italian Supercoppa semi-final in Saudi Arabia

AC Milan coach Sergio Conceicao takes charge of his first training session in Riyadh. Reuters

Sergio Conceicao said he will put club before family as he hopes to make a good first impression on fans in Riyadh when he takes charge of AC Milan for the first time in their Italian Supercoppa semi-final against Juventus in Riyadh.

The Portuguese, who replaced compatriot Paulo Fonseca this week, faces the prospect of competing against his son Francisco, who is also in Saudi Arabia as part of the Juventus squad.

However, speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the game at Al Awwal Park on Friday, Conceicao Sr 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.”

Thiago Motta, the Juventus manager, agreed that on this occasion football will come before family for the Conceicao clan.

“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 said.

Football in Saudi Arabia has been on an upwards trajectory the past three years. In December, the kingdom was announced as the winning bid to host the 2034 World Cup while the Saudi Pro League continues to attract big name stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Neymar.

The Italian Supercoppa 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, are looking to win a record-equaling fourth straight Super Cup and a third in a row in Riyadh after they beat Atalanta 2-0 Thursday to secure their place in Monday's final.

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.”

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.

He 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.”