Conceição: Passion Fueled Dispute with Calabria
The drama at San Siro didn’t end with the final whistle after AC Milan snatched a late 3-2 victory over Parma on Sunday. Manager Sérgio Conceição downplayed a heated exchange with Davide Calabria, attributing the clash to an overflow of passion.
The home side secured the win thanks to two stoppage-time goals. However, as Milan’s bench celebrated, Conceição and Calabria, who had been substituted earlier, had to be separated by teammates and coaching staff.
Visibly agitated, Conceição appeared to approach Calabria before being restrained to prevent further escalation.
“I live for the game,” said Conceição. “The way I feel it and the way I experience it comes with a lot of passion and desire to win. In the end, there was a bit of extra intensity, but it was just about a moment in the match. Too many words were exchanged.”
For Conceição, the team is like a family, and he treats such situations accordingly.
“The players know they’re all equally important to me, like family. If my son does something I don’t like in a restaurant, I’ll let him know. There’s no room for hypocrisy. It wasn’t a pleasant sight, but in football, these things happen. This isn’t church.”
This season has been particularly tough for Calabria, who has played just four Serie A matches and lost the captaincy to goalkeeper Mike Maignan. With the arrival of Emerson Royal and Kyle Walker in the summer, competition for the right-back spot has only intensified for the Milan veteran.
