AC Milan have dismissed manager Paulo Fonseca following a 1-1 draw with Serie A rivals AS Roma at the San Siro, according to Gianluca DiMarzio.
The Portuguese coach has been walking the tightrope, and the club has eventually pulled the trigger after an uninspiring tenure.
Fonseca leaves the Rossoneri in eighth position on the league log and 12th pace on the UEFA Champions League table after an inconsistent start to the season.
Milan have won only one of their previous four league games, and even the 1-0 victory over Venezia was unconvincing. With a semi-final Coppa Italia clash against Juventus coming up, the Rossoneri decided they needed a change in the dugout.
Apart from the derby win over Inter Milan, the results have been shoddy and the performances unworthy.
Besides the hapless football being played on the pitch, his run-ins with several top Milan players did not bode well for him long-term. He arrived and immediately had a bone to pick with Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez while dropping Fikayo Tomori.
Leao and Hernandez run the rule on the left wing, and that flank is considered Milan’s most potent weapon. However, Fonseca took offence with Leao’s defensive contribution and had a bone to pick with Hernandez for no visible reason, even starting youngster Alex Jimenez over the France international.
His treatment of Hernandez hasn’t helped Milan convince the player to sign a new contract, and the former Real Madrid star was reportedly looking for an escape route this summer.
Milan are now closing in on a deal to hire Sergio Conceicao for six months. He was on the club’s radar alongside Julen Lopetegui before they settled on Fonseca.
Not only does he stand out as a title-winning manager with 11 trophies, but his ability to coach a watertight defence will appeal to the Rossoneri.
Conceicao left Porto nine days after winning the Portuguese Cup. He spent seven seasons as their head coach, with the final victory over Sporting CP being his 11th trophy.
