Sergio Conukicao insisted on his AC Milan players to embrace the pressure of the Coppa Italia final against Bologna in the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday.
In what has been a disappointing season for Milan, they can end their campaign with two trophies after they have won the Supercoppa Italiana against Inter in January.
The Rossoneri is eighth in the Serie A, four points on drift of a place in the Champions League next year with two more games of the competition campaign.
Milan also comes into play with confidence after he has defeated Bologna, with whom they are confronted in the showpiece, 3-1 in the Giuseppe Meazza stadio last Friday.
They will dispute their 13th Coppa Italia final, last competing in the final in 2018, with a 0-4 loss for Juventus.
Milan won the trophy only once in their last six performances in the final of the competition and did this in 2002-03 (6-3 aggregated score about Roma).
This could also be the sixth Coppa Italia victory in the history of Milan, and Concukicao believes that the cancellation of the trophy would be a silver lining for their present season.
“It will certainly be a pleasure if we can win this trophy and satisfy the fans in a difficult year,” Conceicao told reporters.
“From the outside we may seem angry, but it is not the case. We have enormous joy in playing this final.
“This pressure is part of the history of Milan. It is normal in these big clubs. We only have to concentrate on tomorrow and be ready.”
Trust to the #coppaitaliafecciarossa final #milanbologna #sempremilan pic.twitter.com/syfxu8c6np
– AC Milan (@acmilan) May 12, 2025
This will be the 15th meeting between the two teams in the Coppa Italia. Milan Lead with six victories to the four of Bologna, while four of those games have ended in a draw.
After winning the Supercoppa Italiana, Milan was able to win two trophies in one season for the first time since 2007-08, when they came out the victory of the Super Cup and Club World Cup.
They come to the meeting and have won four consecutive games for the first time this season this season.
The last time Milan achieved at least four straight victories was between March and April 2024 (Run van Zeven), and Concukicao wants to continue that momentum.
For the 50-year-old, Rome's Stadio Olimpico is familiar site, with 103 performances in all matches for Lazio during his gaming career.
“This stadium has certainly given me satisfaction as a player, but it's the past,” said Conceicao.
“Tomorrow we have to be at our best against a team that fights every duel as if it were the last.”
After defeating Bologna in the rehearsal of the dress for this week's final, Conceicao stopped his cards close to his chest that would appear in his starting line-up.
“I don't say it, I didn't even tell them (the players),” he said.
“They don't know,” Conceicao added, revealing that striker Rafael Leao and midfielder Youssouf Fofana will both be involved after missing the victory of Friday.
“Positive results improve the atmosphere. I know I have a healthy group.”