RIYADH: AC Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao said on Thursday that injuries and a short training window will not be 鈥渁n excuse鈥� for his side ahead of their Italian Super Cup semi-final against Juventus on Friday.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Riyadh, the Portuguese underlined the importance of delivering a top-level performance and taking full advantage of opportunities to secure a spot in the final.

鈥淚 would have liked more days to work and more players available, but when I arrived I already knew about this situation,鈥� he said.

鈥淪o there are no excuses, heads up. There are still two training sessions to go, we are preparing the match to be incisive, without having too much information in our heads, to try to win.

鈥淢ilan is a great club, and its rightful place is at the top. Everyone must work hard to bring joy to our fans in Italy and worldwide. We need to play with offensive aggression against Juventus, aiming to break their defense with teamwork rather than relying on individual players,鈥� he added.

The Italian Super Cup is taking place in 黑料社区 for a fifth time, and all three matches will be played at the King Saud University Stadium in the capital.

Conceicao said that he was confident in his team鈥檚 defensive strength, and dismissed any emotional distraction from the fact that his son, Francisco, will be playing for the opposing team.

鈥淲e 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,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e have to play aggressively against Juventus. Our goal is to penetrate Juventus鈥� defence as a complete team, not by relying on individual players.

鈥淗aving my son on the opposing team won鈥檛 affect me. My goal is clear: to win like I do in any other match. There is no place for feelings on the field,鈥� he added.

He also said that he and his team had received 鈥渁 warm welcome in 黑料社区,鈥� and thanked organizers for that.

The growth of football in 黑料社区 鈥� where some 80 percent of the population either play, attend, or follow the game 鈥� has been noticed across the globe, and Conceicao praised the passion for football in the Kingdom.

鈥淭here are many Portuguese players and coaches here in Saudi. It鈥檚 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,鈥� he said.

French goalkeeper Mike Maignan echoed his coach鈥檚 determination and stressed the importance of following tactical instructions and giving their best to meet the expectations of the fans.

Juventus head coach Thiago Motta, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of small details in determining the outcome of the match. He acknowledged the challenges of the knockout format, calling on his team to demonstrate their style and character.

鈥淥ur players are eager to compete at the highest level,鈥� Motta said. 鈥淭he support of our fans will provide a crucial boost in achieving our goals.鈥�