Sergio Conceicao conceded that the absence of key players hit his AC Milan team hard during their 2-1 defeat to Napoli in Serie A on Sunday. (More Football News)
Conceicao watched on as Matteo Politano and Romelu Lukaku fired Napoli two goals in front in the first half, but the Rossoneri responded after the break.
But Luka Jovic's late goal proved to be a consolation as Milan failed to find a way through, with substitute바카라 웹사이트Santiago Gimenez also seeing a penalty saved by Alex Meret.바카라 웹사이트
Milan now sit in ninth in the table on 47 points, nine points adrift of the Champions League places, though their cause has not been helped by recent injuries.바카라 웹사이트
Ahead of kick-off at the바카라 웹사이트Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, the club confirmed that바카라 웹사이트Ruben Loftus-Cheek바카라 웹사이트was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and had undergone바카라 웹사이트surgery.바카라 웹사이트
Malick Thiaw was also absence, while Rafael Leao, who replaced Warren Bondo in the second half, was struggling with an issue picked on international duty.바카라 웹사이트
"Since I've been here I've never made excuses, even though we played every three days until two weeks ago, but today absolutely everything happened," Conceicao said.
"The doctor called me to tell me that Loftus-Cheek had to undergo surgery, Thiaw had intestinal problems and Leao felt a little pain in his thigh.바카라 웹사이트
"I don't want to dwell on bad luck, even though it was a black day."
Conceicao also said his team needed to perform better after conceding twice early in the first half.바카라 웹사이트
Indeed,바카라 웹사이트Politano's strike바카라 웹사이트was only the second goal scored in the first two minutes of play by Napoli against Milan in Serie A, after Piero Golin's effort바카라 웹사이트in March 1955.
But the Milan boss was pleased with his team's response in the second half, with the Rossoneri ending the contest dominating many of the match metrics.바카라 웹사이트
Milan ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of 2.69 to Napoli's 0.96.바카라 웹사이트
"(Napoli) managed to escape our pressing too easily in the first half, but we rectified the situation in the second half and we did it with more courage and aggression," he said.
"We were missing something, I have a lot of confidence, the atmosphere in the group is healthy and I don't want to change it."
Milan now turn their attention to the Coppa Italia, where they face bitter rivals and Serie A leaders Inter Milan in the first leg of the semi-finals on Wednesday.
"It's an important game, the Coppa Italia is one of the club's objectives," Conceicao added.
"The players have already shown they have character, we need to continue working on our balance.
"It's difficult for everyone in this position in the league table, but I have a group that wants to change these results."
