AC Milan parts ways with Paulo Fonseca, former Porto boss Sergio Conceicao poised to take the helm

AC Milan terminated the contract of coach Paulo Fonseca (51) on Monday, following a disappointing six-month tenure during which the club failed to mount a serious challenge for the Serie A title.

The Portuguese coach had anticipated the decision, announcing his dismissal as he departed the San Siro after a press conference that followed a draw with AS Roma on Sunday.

Sergio Conceicao, another Portuguese national, is likely to take over the coaching responsibilities. Conceicao, who has experience in Serie A as a player, is currently available after concluding a seven-year tenure as the head coach of Porto in June.

The recent 1-1 draw marked the team's sixth stalemate of the season, leaving them in seventh place, eight points behind Lazio, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League spot, and a significant twelve points behind city rivals Inter, who are in contention for the title.

"AC Milan announces that Paulo Fonseca has been relieved from his duties as Head Coach of the Men's First Team," stated the club.

"The Club expresses its gratitude to Paulo for his professionalism and wishes him success in his future endeavors."

The seven-time European champions have been struggling with inconsistent performances and growing discontent among fans.

Fonseca's tenure was marked by open disputes with senior players, as he questioned the commitment of his squad, notably targeting star winger Rafael Leao and opting to bench France international Theo Hernandez in favor of a young academy player during a disappointing goalless draw against Genoa earlier this month.

In a show of frustration, fans confronted the club's owners on December 21 during a celebration of the club's 125th anniversary, which was overshadowed by a lackluster match and the notable absence of Paolo Maldini among the legendary players on the pitch. Chants demanding that the owners, US investment fund RedBird, divest their stake were prevalent.

Supporters also gathered outside a private anniversary event, vocally expressing their discontent towards the players and displaying banners with messages such as "a club with no ambition, you're not worthy of our history."