AC Milan has sacked head coach Paulo Fonseca just six months into his tenure, following a string of underwhelming performances that have left the club struggling in Serie A.
The announcement came on Monday, a day after Milan’s 1-1 draw with AS Roma at the San Siro. Fonseca, 51, appeared to confirm his dismissal before the official statement, telling reporters he had been relieved of his duties as he left the stadium.
In a statement, the club thanked Fonseca for his professionalism, saying, “AC Milan announces that Paulo Fonseca has been relieved from his duties as Head Coach of the Men’s First Team. The Club extends its gratitude to Paulo for his great professionalism and wishes him the very best in his future endeavors.”
Milan’s draw against Roma marked their sixth of the season, leaving the team in seventh place in the Serie A standings. They are eight points adrift of Lazio, who occupy the final Champions League qualification spot, and 12 points behind league leaders and city rivals Inter.
Sergio Conceição, the former Porto boss, is widely expected to succeed Fonseca. The 49-year-old Portuguese coach brings valuable Serie A experience, having played in the league during his playing career.
Fonseca’s brief tenure was plagued by inconsistent results, growing tensions with key players, and mounting criticism from fans. The Portuguese coach publicly criticized winger Rafael Leão and controversially benched Theo Hernández, opting to start an academy player during a goalless draw with Genoa earlier this month.
The turmoil extended off the pitch, as fans voiced their frustration with Milan’s owners, the US-based RedBird Capital Partners. During a December 21 celebration of Milan’s 125th anniversary, supporters chanted for the owners to sell the club, overshadowing the event, which was also marked by the absence of club legend Paolo Maldini.
As Milan looks ahead, the appointment of Conceição could signal a fresh start for the seven-time European champions. However, with the team trailing in the league and tensions simmering among fans, the road to recovery remains challenging.
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