Serie A: Paulo Fonseca takes over as AC Milan coach, succeeding Stefano Pioli

Former Roma coach Paulo Fonseca is set to return to Italy as the new head coach of AC Milan, as announced by the Serie A runners-up on Thursday.

“Milan’s new coach will be Paulo Fonseca,” stated former Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, representing the club owner, at a press conference.

Fonseca, 51, has signed a three-year contract with Milan after his tenure at French club Lille, which began in 2022. He takes over from Stefano Pioli, who was dismissed at the end of the 2023-24 season following five years in charge.

“We closely analyzed his work and match preparations,” said Ibrahimovic, who ended his playing career with Milan in 2023. “We want him to instill his offensive style and identity in our team. After five years, we needed a fresh approach, with all due respect to Stefano Pioli.”

Born in Nampula, Mozambique, in 1973, Fonseca began his coaching career in Portugal, managing teams like Pacos de Ferreira, Porto, and Braga. He later moved to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, where he won seven trophies and achieved 103 wins in 139 matches.

In 2019, Fonseca took over at Roma, guiding them to fifth and seventh-place finishes in Serie A. He then moved to Lille, leading them to fifth and fourth-place finishes in Ligue 1 and securing European competition spots in both seasons.

Milan recently concluded a trophy-less season, their last league title being in 2022. They finished a distant second to city rivals Inter in the league, were eliminated in the group stage of the Champions League, and lost to AS Roma in the Europa League quarter-finals.

Fonseca’s appointment marks the second major managerial change in Italy in two days. On Wednesday, Juventus announced Thiago Motta as the successor to Massimiliano Allegri, who was sacked last month.