Milan to fight back instead of pinning troubles on bad luck, says Conceicao

AC Milan will strive to turn around their fortunes when they host Lazio in Serie A on Sunday, coach Sergio Conceicao said, adding that the team would stop blaming their woes on bad luck.

Milan will face Lazio after consecutive league defeats at Torino and Bologna over the last week, when they also went out of the Champions League with an aggregate 2-1 playoff loss to Feyenoord.

"We are aware of the moment, of what happened both because of our mistakes and what we can't control," Conceicao told a press conference on Saturday.

"We can't cling to bad luck but we can work on what's wrong and on the mistakes we make. And bring results."

Milan's Serie A top-four hopes were dealt a significant blow when they lost 2-1 at Bologna on Thursday after the hosts fought back from a goal down.

"I saw positive things in the first half in Bologna," Conceicao said.

"We conceded a goal that wasn't right, there was a handball. (But) we shouldn't cling to that, we weren't up to par after this episode. We need more lightness, more balance."

Milan protested when Santiago Castro equalised for Bologna early in the second half, saying the ball had ricocheted off the arm of Bologna's Giovanni Fabbian before reaching Castro, but VAR allowed the goal to stand.

Milan have struggled for consistency this season, only once winning three Serie A games in a row. They are currently eighth after 26 games, 16 points off leaders Inter Milan.

"The physical trainer tells me that the data is at 100% but I want it to be 150%," Conceicao said.

"Probably in all moments we need to go further. If we want to play in a certain way, we need changes of pace, acceleration, sprint."

Emotions will run high when Milan welcome fifth-placed Lazio, where the Portuguese manager played for three years over two spells.

"The human being is full of memories, it's normal. But even if my parents were there tomorrow to play for Lazio, I play to win," Conceicao said.

Former winger Conceicao was a Lazio player from 1998-2000 and 2003-2004, helping them to win six trophies, including a Serie A title and two Italian Cups.