AC Milan has announced the appointment of Paulo Fonseca as their new head coach, with the former Roma manager set to make a comeback to Italian football.
At a press conference, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the iconic ex-Milan striker representing the club’s ownership, declared, “Paulo Fonseca will take the reins at Milan.”
Fonseca, aged 51, has committed to a three-year tenure with Milan, following his time at French outfit Lille since 2022.
He fills the vacancy left by Stefano Pioli, who was relieved of his duties following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, after a five-year stint at the helm.
Ibrahimovic, who concluded his playing career at Milan in 2023, remarked, “We have thoroughly analyzed his approach and match preparations. We are eager for him to instill his distinctive style and offensive tactics into our squad and players. It’s time for a fresh direction, while we maintain respect for Stefano Pioli.”
Fonseca, born in 1973 in Nampula, Mozambique, embarked on his coaching journey in Portugal, with tenures at Pacos de Ferreira, Porto, and Braga. He then led Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine for three years, securing seven titles and amassing 103 victories out of 139 games.
In 2019, he assumed control of Roma, guiding them to fifth and seventh-place finishes in Serie A, before his move to Lille, where he achieved fifth and fourth-place finishes in Ligue 1, earning European competition spots in both seasons.
Milan, who last clinched the league title in 2022, experienced a season without silverware, finishing a distant second to their city rivals Inter, who secured the championship.
Their Champions League campaign concluded at the group stage, trailing behind Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain, and their Europa League journey ended in the quarter-finals with a defeat to AS Roma.
This coaching change at Milan is the second major managerial shift in Italian football within a span of two days, following Juventus’ appointment of Thiago Motta to succeed the recently sacked Massimiliano Allegri.
