AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca is done with the Rossoneri after their 1-1 draw at the San Siro on Sunday against AS Roma. The Italiam clan announced the dismissal of the Portuguese manager on Monday. After a difficult start to the season since AC Milan is currently eighth in the standings with 27 points after 17 Serie A matches. Former Porto manager Sergio Conceicao is expected to replace him, according to several reports.
AC Milan announced their decision in a statement a day after Fonseca himself announced the news. “AC Milan announces that Paulo Fonseca has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the men’s first team. The Club expresses its gratitude to Paulo for his great professionalism and wishes him the best in his future endeavours.”
Before the statement released by the club, Fonseca himself told reporters outside the San Siro that he was close to being sacked. “Yes, I left Milan. That’s life, that’s how it happens. I have a good conscience, I did everything I could,” he declared before the club or the leaders did not speak to the press after the match.
Conceicao reportedly agreed to join AC Milan before the match against AS Roma, but the decision was postponed until now. Among the reasons for the dismissal, Fonseca has had problems in recent weeks with some of the key players in his squad, including winger Rafael Leao and club captain Theo Hernandez, according to reports.
The former FC Porto manager will manage AC Milan and will coach his first match on Friday against Juventus and his son Francisco in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final. Conceicao is expected to sign a deal until the end of the season with an option to extend and he is likely to sign his deal before the Rossoneri travel to Saudi Arabia for the Supercoppa Italiana.
Fonseca’s short cycle at AC Milan has seen some highs, notably the victory at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium against Real Madrid, but also some negative moments as supporters now put pressure on the American businessman and owner of the Rossoneri, Gerry Cardinale. The decision to sack Fonseca is just the latest in a series of reversals from what the club had planned before the start of the 2024-25 season. It’s now up to Conceicao to turn things around, but it’s hard to imagine that things could change drastically with just the appointment of a new head coach, let alone the need also American Christian Pulisic will recover from his latest injury.