AC Milan decided to make a change midway through the season, sacking Paulo Fonseca in favour of hiring Sergio Conceicao.
However, there was a choice that came before that: to move on from Stefano Pioli at the end of last season. Milan are currently in ninth place and are currently set to not participate in any European competition next season, reaching lows that haven’t been seen since 2014-15.
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It is a sporting failure which would also have economic consequences, because not playing in the Champions League, the Europa League nor the Conference League in the 2025-26 season hurts the accounts. Thus, another revolution seems imminent.
The comparison with Pioli
As highlighted by that stats outlet Opta, furthermore, Milan have amassed less than 50 points after the first 31 games of the season in Serie A for the third time in the last 10 seasons, after 2015/16 (49) and 2019/20 (49).
In those cases, the Rossoneri closed those season in seventh and sixth place in the table respectively. Moreover, at this point in the season, Milan – then coached by Pioli – were on 68 points, a whole 20 points ahead of what has been managed under Fonseca and Conceicao.
The Rossoneri closed last season second place and qualified for the Champions League. Another interesting fact is that with 68 points Milan would be at the top of the table currently, battling for the Scudetto with Inter and Napoli. Maybe the grass wasn’t greener after all?
Fonseca also axed
After being sacked just 24 games into his Milan tenure at the end of December, Fonseca has found the magic formula to revive the fortunes of Lyon and get them into the Champions League zone in Ligue 1.
Although suspended from being on the touchline, the Portuguese coach has led the team to a very respectable run of form since taking office: in his first 11 official matches, Fonseca has recorded eight wins (six in the league and two in the Europa League).
He is the third coach to achieve such a start at Lyon after Domenech in 1988 and Houllier in 2005. As things stand, Fonseca’s Lyon – now fourth in the French standings – are just two points from second place (awaiting the match between Marseille and and Toulouse).
To make a comparison with his time at Milan, Fonseca will with his next victory in the league match his tally with the Rossoneri (seven league victories) and he is currently on course to do it in less than half the games.
The Conceicao choice
After Fonseca’s dismissal, the choice fell on Sergio Conceiçao because those at Milan were convinced that the Portuguese coach could give some compactness and identity, that his predecessor was judged to have lacked.
Excluding the Supercoppa Italiana, things definitely did not go as expected. On the contrary, they got worse and worse, with Milan now in ninth in the table and out of any European competition as mentioned.
Compactness and solidity are the cornerstones of Conceiçao’s successes as a head coach, as seen with his Porto sides. Yet, in 22 games at the helm of Milan, he has only obtained three clean sheets, further confirmation that he cannot organise the team.
Conceicao’s media style has drawn scrutiny, as has his management of individuals like Yunus Musah. It all points to a common theme: he will leave at the end of the season after just six months, leaving Milan questioning if they made the right call.
RottenTurd aficionados incoming🍿
They know they screwed up. That’s why they only gave a 6 month contract and are hiring a sporting director. They know what they have to do. Whether they get the right man is another question. Abbiati would be a solid choice with the club probably not in Europe and forced to rebuild.
Ancelotti in the first season 01/02 after the 31st round had 47 points. Klopp in Liverpool, in the first season of 2015/16, after the 31st round, he had 48 points. The rest is history.
That won’t be bad at all but can the current Milan management deal with such pressure?…. I wish what you are saying comes into effect…. Forza Milan
You forgot we win a cup after scudetto, at the cost of UCL spot ofc.
Some key players upset and thus underperformed with management’s sacking of maldini and then pioli. So that counts.
This all started when Gazidis got sick. We need a sporting director like Gazidis. He knew what he was doing.
Gazidis was not a sporting director but what Furlani is now. Somekind of a Chief Financial Officer.
I was hoping Conceicao was the IT man for us when he came in, but he also turned out to be a flop. I thought maybe if he had a full preseason in him he’d do better. But it’s clear his man management doesn’t suit the team nor does it bring out the best in them…
Pioli was a great man manager but 5 years under his guidance made the players reluctant to want to improve or play better, because Stefano banked on the players’ strengths but mitigated their weaknesses poorly. So, for example, you ended up with the likes of Leao and Theo bombing forward and not tracking back;
Milan needs a coach that can motivate the players to want to become better versions of themselves and to play as a unit.
Unfortunately, I think Leao and Theo are baked in as who they are as players. I think Pioli got the best from them. I understand not beating either Inter or Juve along with an early CL exit led to his ouster. Well, if Leão hadn’t tried that stupid back heel goal against NewCastle and just kicked the effing ball in goal imagine how different things might have be.
totally agree with this
Management milan is so smart to prioritize profit. They get cheaper coach, but with lower rank in league.
Pioli milan scudetto legend coach with salary 4 million. Second rank in his last season, get kick out.
Fonseca with his 2,5 million salary. Bring milan to 8 rank in league.
Conceicao with his 0,5 million salary for 6 month. Bring milan to 9 rank in league.