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Sergio Conceição will only have a few months to prove to Milan he is the right manager for the future, which might be a particularly short time to handle all the issues inherited from Paulo Fonseca’s stint.

The former Porto manager has signed a six-month contract with an option for a further campaign, which will be activated if the Rossoneri are pleased with their work.

However, the 50-year-old will presumably have to deal with the same problems that ended up sinking his predecessor, starting from the pressure of qualifying for the Champions League, which the club still considers a primary and feasible target.

The lack of communication from Milan directors in the hours preceding Fonseca’s sacking is already telling of the chaos currently reigning in the management, not certainly the best way to welcome a new manager.

Conceição will have to fix Milan’s mentality issues

While Conceição strong character could partially offset the absence of strong figures and well-defined roles in the Rossoneri board, the team’s mental strength and ability to bounce back from setbacks is arguably the main aspect he will need to put his hands on, as pointed out by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Milan’s problems of consistency were already present during Stefano Pioli’s last season at the helm, and Fonseca could do little to solve them, with his side’s high peaks, such as victories in the Derby della Madonnina and at Real Madrid, alternated with worrying lows like draws against relegation-threatened Cagliari and Genoa.

Tactical identity under Conceição and management of star players

Also, the former Lazio and Inter winger will be tasked with crafting a side with a clear tactical identity, as the Rossoneri recently gave the impression of retaining some features of Pioli’s football while trying to integrate Fonseca’s ideas, but with little success.

Conceição will probably look to restore Milan’s defensive solidity at first, before finding ways to maximise their offensive potential.

Lastly, the new manager will need to put stars like Rafael Leão and Theo Hernandez at the heart of his technical project, after their status was repeatedly questioned during Fonseca’s tenure – their reactions to the change of coach will likely affect the Rossoneri’s chances to express themselves at their best.