The former Rossoneri coach, now at Al-Ittihad, won the Italian Super Cup a year ago: “Celebrating by smoking a cigar in the locker room? A promise. I already know I’ll be back in Italy”
Sergio Conceiçao and Julius Caesar have something in common. About a year ago, the former Rossoneri coach won the Italian Super Cup, celebrating with a cigar in the locker room. He had signed with Milan eight days earlier. Caesar took a single morning to wipe out the armies of Pharnaces II of Pontus in Turkey, at Zela. Two versions of “I came, I saw, I conquered.” Conceiçao, who has been coaching Benzema’s Al-Ittihad since October, responds from Jeddah before training and laughs it off, staying humble and opening up: “Sergio, last year… ‘I came, I saw, I conquered.’”

“Actually, yes. I remember intense days of work analyzing videos, motivating the team, and giving speeches to immediately get into the players’ heads. We beat my son Cisco’s Juve and then came back to beat Inter. And I cried.”

And after the victory, a nice cigar.

“A promise. The players, who had watched the videos, asked me to smoke it if we won. With Porto, I’d done it 11 times—that is, after winning trophies. The coach who’s won the most. So I did it again.”

And tonight, who would you offer one to?

“I don’t play favorites, and I don’t even want to talk about players because then they’ll write in a heartbeat that we’re interested in them. I’ll watch the match; Bologna and Napoli are a joy to watch. The clash between Conte and Italiano is a showcase for soccer. Antonio is obsessed, like me, and in fact, obsession beats talent. Vincenzo, on the other hand, plays beautiful soccer—so much so that last year we lost the Coppa Italia final to him. A huge regret.“

How would you sum up your six months at Milan?

”Positive. From 2016 to today, only two coaches have won trophies with the Rossoneri: Pioli, with the Scudetto, and me. If we add up the points from our time here, we had a Europa League-level pace, finishing fifth. The results were there: I’m thinking of the two derbies we won and the victory over Roma. I’m sorry about the Coppa Italia final, but there were some things I didn’t like.”

Like what?

“There was instability at the club level; the atmosphere around the team wasn’t good. That’s why I hold on tightly to what we achieved. Furthermore, the management didn’t support me. Let me give you an example: after winning the Super Cup, we played against Cagliari. At that time, rumors were already circulating that the club was looking at other coaches. I was focused on working and winning, with the weight of the results on my shoulders. I didn’t have time to work effectively on all levels.”

Would you have stayed?

“Yes, but with some changes.”

Did the players let you down?

“Never; on the contrary, they were with me. Theo also said so in the interview you did: after the Feyenoord game, when people were saying he’d gotten himself sent off on purpose, I defended him. Many wrote to me when I left. I demand discipline, high standards, and then relaxation when it’s time to relax. If someone shows up a pound heavier, arrives late, or does similar things, I can’t tolerate it. For me, in the end, all players are equal.”  Not just about soccer. An hour-long chat after two years of silence.

Can you tell us about your most meaningful speech?

“In 2012, at Olhanense, I had researched my players’ passions and hobbies—something I always do. Before a match, for Father’s Day, I showed a video in which their fathers talked about them. Some people were crying, then they went out onto the field and… 2-0 to the opponents. When we got back to the locker room, I changed my approach and went back to being a drill sergeant: we tied 2-2.”

Moving on to Saudi Arabia. Did Inzaghi say hello to you this time?

“Yes, we faced off in October and he won. I had just arrived. After Porto-Inter, where his team had quite a bit of luck, I didn’t greet him because, deep down, that’s just how I am—during games I go into a trance—but he’s a great coach. We won the Scudetto in 2000. The relationship is good.”

There, too, you were immediately decisive. With scraped knees.

“I had made a vow to Our Lady of Fatima; I ran the last 500 meters on my knees and then reported to training camp. It was 1998; I scored against Juventus in the last minute and we won the Super Cup. Faith is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a practicing Catholic; I can’t here, but in Milan I went to church every day. A few months ago, the Pope invited me to the Jubilee to share my journey and my struggles.“

Where does your faith come from?

”I lost my father at 16 in a motorcycle accident, my mother at 18 after a long illness, and then a brother as well—I was the seventh of eight. Faith gave me strength and peace. I want to show my parents that I’m here and that I’ve fulfilled all my dreams. But deep inside me, hidden away, I have—and always will have—something “dark,” like a shadow.”

And is that for your parents?

“Yes. I carry their photos with me and pray for them every day. I’m a peaceful man; I have five children, I played soccer and now I coach, but I know I’ll never be completely happy without my parents. That’s the void I have inside me.“

Your children fill it a little, though.

”Of course. Francisco is now at Juve and doing well.”

Do you talk about soccer at home?

“As little as possible. The important thing is that they leave their phones in their pockets at dinner. I insisted on that at Porto and Milan too. Cisco made his debut with me in Portugal. In 2020, during the lockdown, I told him: ‘If you’re hungry… then drink water.’ He was a bit chubby. To make a difference, you need sacrifice and the right mindset. If I could, I’d lend him my hunger. Not that he doesn’t have it—on the contrary—but still, when I was 16, I was bringing money home to eat; it was different. But I’ve always believed in him. And he believes in himself, too.”

The Porto Chapter: 11 trophies in seven years.

“My relationship with Da Costa was top-notch. When I arrived, the club hadn’t won a title in four seasons. We generated 600 million in sales and did well in the Champions League too, where teams would say, ‘Ah, Porto’s in the round of 16…’. But instead, we managed to give the Italian teams a run for their money: Juve, Roma, Lazio…”.

How many teams were after you?

“I had contact with Lazio, but not just them. And even before signing with Al-Itthiad, I had offers. Here the league is competitive, the ambitions are high, and we train in the afternoon, not in the morning. You have to adapt to the cultural dynamics. But this is a challenge, and I love challenges like this.”

The phrase that best represents you?

“You don’t achieve great things in calm waters; you need the storm.” Mihajlovic, speaking of Benassi, said that the difficulty wasn’t being captain, but getting up at four in the morning and working. My parents taught me that. And you mustn’t settle for less. I enrolled in university at 51. I’m pursuing a master’s degree in sports training.“

Your greatest satisfaction in Italy?

”As a player, the 2000 Scudetto with Lazio—the most incredible one ever. Sinisa, Stankovic, and I were listening to the radio in the locker room. It was a group of strong personalities, full of little squabbles every day, but Eriksson knew how to handle us. I also remember the 1999 European Super Cup against United: Ferguson said that his biggest regret was that defeat.“

And the disappointment?

”Losing the Scudetto to Inter on May 5, 2002. I comforted Ronaldo as he cried on the bench; I was right next to him. No one could believe it. I had a hard time in Milan: Cuper didn’t trust me, but it was a group of champions.”
And would you return to Italy?
“Of course, I already know I will.”