AC Milan has dismissed coach Paulo Fonseca after just six months in charge. The club cited inconsistent results, which have left it eighth in Serie A.
On the same day, the club announced Sérgio Paulo Marceneiro da Conceição as the new head coach, with a contract running until June 30, 2026.
“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. The Club extends a warm welcome to Sérgio and his staff, wishing a journey full of success and fulfilment,” the club stated.
Conceição, 50, previously managed FC Porto, where he became the club’s most successful coach during his seven-year tenure, winning three league titles, four Portuguese Cups, a League Cup, and three Super Cups. He has been without a team since leaving Porto in June, just two months after signing a four-year contract extension.
Fonseca’s sacking follows Sunday’s 1-1 home draw against struggling AS Roma, which marked only two wins in Milan’s last seven Serie A games. With a game in hand, Milan is currently eight points off the top four and 14 points behind leaders Atalanta.
Fonseca, 51, joined Milan in June after two seasons at French side Lille. He replaced Stefano Pioli, who had led Milan to a Serie A title in 2022. Expectations were high for Fonseca, given his success with Shakhtar Donetsk, where he won three consecutive Ukrainian Premier League titles, and earlier triumphs with Braga and Porto.
However, Milan struggled early in the season, with poor league and Champions League starts. While Fonseca managed some notable victories, including a 2-1 win over Inter and a Champions League triumph against Real Madrid, inconsistency ultimately sealed his fate.
