AC Milan has parted ways with coach Paulo Fonseca just six months into his tenure after the Italian giants struggled to mount a Serie A title challenge.
The 51-year-old Portuguese manager, who had previously coached Shakhtar Donetsk, Roma, and Lille, was dismissed following a disappointing 1-1 draw with AS Roma on Sunday, which left Milan languishing in seventh place in the league, eight points behind Lazio in the race for the Champions League spots.
Fonseca’s departure was confirmed by the club in a statement released Monday, which read: “AC Milan announces that Paulo Fonseca has been relieved from his duties as Head Coach of the Men’s First Team.”
The statement continued, “The Club extends its gratitude to Paulo for his great professionalism and wishes him the very best in his future endeavours.”
Earlier on Monday, Fonseca confirmed the news of his sacking as he left the San Siro stadium after the draw with Roma. “Yes, it’s true. I’m out,” Fonseca told reporters, according to an ESPN report, as he lowered the window of his car. “That’s life. I did everything I could.”
The draw with Roma marked Milan’s sixth stalemate of the season, contributing to their struggles in Serie A.
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They now sit 12 points behind city rivals Inter Milan, who are vying for the title. Fonseca’s time at Milan was marked by inconsistent performances, and the squad’s lack of commitment became a recurring issue.
The coach found himself in open conflict with senior players, most notably star winger Rafael Leao and France full-back Theo Hernandez, whom he dropped for a 0-0 draw against Genoa earlier this month in favor of a teenage academy player.
The discontent at Milan was also evident off the pitch, with fans expressing their frustrations towards the club’s ownership.
On December 21, a 125th-anniversary celebration was marred by poor performances on the pitch and the conspicuous absence of legendary figure Paolo Maldini.
Fans also directed their anger at the club’s owners, U.S. investment fund RedBird, chanting for them to sell the club and displaying banners reading, “A club with no ambition, you’re not worthy of our history.”
In light of Fonseca’s dismissal, AC Milan wasted no time in appointing his successor. Sérgio Conceição, a former Serie A player with Lazio, Parma, and Inter Milan, is set to take over as head coach on a two-and-a-half-year contract.
Milan confirmed the appointment in their official statement, which read: “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.”
Conceição, who led Porto for six seasons before stepping down in June, will bring his experience to Milan as the club looks to recover from a poor start to the season.
Milan’s next challenge will come on Friday, when they face Juventus in the Italian Super Cup semifinals in Saudi Arabia.
Despite the struggles in Serie A, Milan has had some success in the Champions League, with four consecutive victories, including a 3-1 win at Real Madrid, leaving them on track to qualify for the knockout stages.
Fonseca, who was appointed in June, managed to secure only 12 wins in 24 matches across all competitions, a far cry from the second-place finish under previous coach Stefano Pioli last season.
Milan now face a critical period under Conceição’s leadership, as they aim to salvage their season and return to the top of Italian football.
