Soccer: Conceicao takes over at Milan

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 30 - AC Milan on Monday named ex Porto tactician Sergio Conceicao as coach after sacking fellow Portuguese Paulo Fonseca after a 1-1 draw with AS Roma at the San Siro left the Rossoneri eighth in Serie A on 27 points, 14 behind joint leaders Atalanta and Napoli.
    Conceicao, 50, has also managed Braga, Vitória de Guimarães and Nantes, among other clubs.
    He earlier played as a winger for Lazio, Parma and Inter, among other clubs.
    Overall, Conceicao played for ten teams in five countries.
    After gaining international recognition with Porto he switched to Italy, winning domestic and European honours at Lazio.
    He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 97 games and 13 goals over four seasons, adding 136 matches and 13 goals in Serie A.
    Having won 56 caps for Portugal, he represented the nation at Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup, reaching the semi-finals of the former.
    In 2012, Conceição started working as a manager, leading five teams in his nation's top flight and Nantes in Ligue 1.
    He set the record for most games as manager of Porto, winning 11 honours including three league titles and the double in 2019-20 and 2021-22.
    Milan said on its website: "AC Milan announces that Sérgio Paulo Marceneiro da Conceição has been appointed as the Head Coach of the men's First Team until 30 June 2026.
    "The Club extends a warm welcome to Sérgio and his staff, wishing a journey full of success and fulfillment." The Rossoneri earlier thanked 51-year-old Fonseca, former manager of Shakhtar Donetsk, Roma and Lille, for his "great professionalism". (ANSA).