rich9 Dinamo Zagreb Vs AC Milan, Champions League: Visitors Ignoring Derby Match Until After Crucial UCL Fixture

Sergio Conceicao Sergio Conceicao

AC Milan are ignoring their weekend derby against city rivals Inter for the time being as they focus fully on securing a place in the Champions League round of 16 according to Sergio Conceicao. (More Football News)rich9

Milan are sixth in the Champions League table, knowing a victory away to Dinamo Zagreb in their final match on Wednesday would see them bypass the knockout round entirely.

They are seventh in Serie A, meanwhilerich9, and trail second-placed Inter by 16 points. But despite the need to pick up domestically, Conceicao says that he is not thinking about it until after the game against Zagreb. 

"I think game-by-game, I don't make calculations two games at a time," he told a press conference.

"We have to focus on tomorrow which will be important and difficult to achieve the second goal.

"The first goal was to win the Super Cup and we did it well, the second goal is to finish in the top eight in the Champions League.

"We are focused on this match, we will think about the derby on Thursday on the plane returning home."

Sérgio Conceição and Pulisic in the pre-match press conference in Zagreb Follow it live on our App #DZGACM #UCL #SempreMilan

gober 168 slot— AC Milan (@acmilan) January 28, 2025

Milan beat Inter in the Italian Super Cup final at the beginning of January,bl777 official beating them 3-2 in Conceicao's second game in charge. He says that talk of winning the Champions League as well is premature and needs to be tempered.

"There are many games left, the goal is to finish in the top four [in Serie A]," Conceicao said.

"We don't think about the derby, let alone the final phase of the Champions League. Looking ahead, we don't see the stairs in front of us and we risk tripping."

Sreejesh announced his retirement after India won a second successive Olympic bronze medal in Paris earlier this month.

"My target is till Los Angeles but it all depends upon my fitness. If I can maintain my fitness and game, I will surely be there in LA," the ace mid-fielder told PTI in an exclusive interview.

Dinamo Zagreb, meanwhile, need to beat Milan to have any chance of making the play-off round. They are currently two spots below where they need to be, trailing 24th by two points.