Nicolò Zaniolo has backed his former coach Paulo Fonseca to do well at AC Milan if he does get the job, while he also confirmed that he did speak with Paolo Maldini about a move.
Milan announced yesterday morning that Stefano Pioli will leave the club at the end of the current season, following a tenure of nearly five years at the club, and the majority of sources are reporting that Fonseca is being lined up to take his place.
The 51-year-old has had a career that has so far taken him to the likes of Porto, Braga, Shakhtar Donetsk, Roma and most recently Lille, where he just finished fourth which is enough to earn a spot in the Champions League qualification phase.
During his two years at Roma he failed to crack the top four, but it was a team in transition and there was also an impressive European run in there. That being said, his CV perhaps doesn’t offer the guarantees that fans want.
La Gazzetta dello Sport interviewed Zaniolo about what the Portuguese head coach is like and whether it was true that he held talks over a move to Milan, with his comments relayed by Calciomercato.com.
What is Fonseca like?
“Fonseca for me is a great coach, a very good person, honest. On the pitch he likes offensive play, with him we always tried to attack. I got on well with him. If he goes to Milan, I’ll be happy for him. He says things to the players’ faces… and trust me, it’s not taken for granted.”
Could he do well at Milan?
“At Milan he can obviously do better, also because the team are strong. Let’s not forget that Fonseca with Roma got to the semi-finals of the Europa League by eliminating Braga, Shakhtar and Ajax.”
What was it like working for him at Roma?
“Unfortunately, I experienced little of his second year because I was never there. With a ruptured ACL, I only worked to recover. However, I remember the attention to detail he had in training and the serenity he showed in a difficult team like Roma. These are not qualities that everyone has.”
Is it true you were talking with Milan?
“Yes, there was definitely something and, even a year and a half later, I am pleased. It’s an honour to have been considered worthy of Milan. There were talks, even meetings, then nothing came of it. It often happens in football.”