Sergio Conceicao has targeted a Champions League qualifying spot with AC Milan despite a stuttering start to their Serie A campaign. 

Milan find themselves eighth in the Italian top-flight after 17 games of their season, eight points behind the top four after two wins in their last four league outings. 

That run of form saw the Rossoneri part company with Paulo Fonseca after just six months in charge, having won 12 of his 24 games in charge in all competitions (D6 L6). 

Conceicao's first task will see him and his players jet to Saudi Arabia, with his first game at the helm coming in Riyadh against Juventus in the Italian Super Cup semi-final.

But the main target for Conceicao is earning a place in the top four to qualify for the Champions League, a competition Milan have won seven times in their history. 

Fonseca was able to find some consistency in the competition this season, with Milan sitting 12th in the 36-team standings, one point from the top eight with two games left.

"We all want one thing: for Milan to return to the Champions League. We are Milan," Conceicao said at his first Milan press conference on Tuesday.

"If I'm here, it’s not a good sign - it means something didn’t go well. There's not much time to prepare for the match against Juventus.

"We don’t complain, and we don’t make excuses."

Milan have drawn three of their last four home league matches (W1) for the Rossoneri, as many draws as they recorded in their previous 11 in the competition (W6 D2).

Their inconsistency in Serie A sees them five points adrift of sixth-placed Juventus, who currently occupy the final European qualifying spot in the division. 

Conceicao acknowledged the challenge that lay ahead of him, but he expected his players to give their all to the cause during his tenure. 

"There will always be 11 players who are happy and others less so. But they all need to give their maximum, that is the standard," he said.

"Pressure is part of football, especially at a big club like Milan."

Milan's senior advisor, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, was also present at Conceicao's first press conference, and he reflected on Fonseca's short time at the helm. 

"Before we begin with Conceicao, I want to thank Fonseca for what he has done and for the professional that he is," Ibrahimovic said. 

"But he wasn’t able to achieve consistency in results and when you’re at Milan, the results are decisive."