Five of Paulo Fonseca’s most striking quotes as AC Milan head coach

SempreMilan

·1 de enero de 2025

Five of Paulo Fonseca’s most striking quotes as AC Milan head coach

Paulo Fonseca only lasted five months as the head coach of AC Milan and it would be accurate to describe it as a rollercoaster ride, with some very interesting quotes made.

The form has been very up and down in the league and while Milan have won four in a row in the Champions League, the management felt it was best to move on as they hired Sergio Conceicao to replace Fonseca.

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During his time at the club, Fonseca proved to be a rather interesting character. His press conferences started in quite a restrained manner, but he gradually grew in confidence and charisma.

Indeed, there were several notable phrases from the former Lille, Roma and now Milan boss, of which we have picked out five of the best.

Modus operandi

Rather than going for a more established name like Antonio Conte, it is clear that the management were looking for someone to continue the project already in place, instead of opting for someone more demanding or with a totally different philosophy.

Fonseca spoke alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Casa Milan in what was his official presentation press conference back in July, and we learned a little bit about the playing style that he wanted to implement into the squad.

“I think that Milan is a club with a history of having attacking football. To win we must be a dominant team: this is what I want to build here. A courageous, dominant, attacking, reactive team, a team that does not let other teams think and play.

“But first of all I want to win. The quality of the game is important to me. I want to build a team that leaves the fans proud, with a strong identity.”

Fonseca made it very clear from day one that he wanted to construct a Milan side that plays football in the best and most dominant way. Fast-forward to the beginning of 2025, this is something we never got to see – at least not consistently.

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Moving mountains

For many, the game against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu seemed like a daunting task, perhaps the most difficult Champions League game you could possibly get, at least on paper.

However, after the 3-1 win in the Spanish capital which was very much deserved, Fonseca made it very clear that he sees games in Italy as more difficult because of the tactical issues it poses.

“This match, for a team that wants to control with the ball, is a match in which we have more space: they are not matches like in Italy. You don’t understand outside of Italy how complicated it is in Italy: Monza plays man to man, Cagliari man to man.

“European teams are having difficulty: it’s a scenario that doesn’t exist in other leagues. It’s more difficult playing in Italy, the matches with Monza and Cagliari are more difficult. It’s difficult to have good matches against teams that play man to man.”

He also went on to speak about being worried regarding the motivation of the players after such a glamorous night. The result? Milan would drop points against Cagliari, conceding three times as many goals as they had against the European champions Real. He was right, he foresaw the issue, but could not stop it from happening.

The Leao treatment

One of the more fascinating sub-plots of Fonseca’s tenure at Milan so far was his relationship with Rafael Leao, all aimed at lighting a spark in his compatriot.

Before the Empoli game, Fonseca revealed that he tried two different things to try and get a response from the winger, with the second having worked.

“Now yes. Coaches have different strategies. I used two. One didn’t have results, the other one seems to have.

“I’m very satisfied with Rafa’s reaction to being on the bench. But he wants consistency. The team needs this version of Rafa. What was the other one that didn’t work? I can’t say (laughs).”

It is likely that the two methods that he is referring to are when he made him captain earlier in the season and then the decision to leave him out of the starting line-up.

It was an open admission that – perhaps unlike his predecessor Stefano Pioli – he was ready to try quite combative styles of man-management for the good of the team, rather than just accept inconsistency.

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Frustration boils over

For many, the Fonseca interview that stood out came recently after the Champions League game against Red Star. It was a game that Milan actually won, but it was hard work and the coach knew it.

Fonseca took issue with the attitude that he saw from his team, especially in a second half which saw them surrender a lead and find it difficult to establish dominance against – with respect – an inferior team on paper.

“I’m tired of struggling with these things, I’m not satisfied with the team’s performance. The problem is that our team is a roller coaster. Today we are fine, tomorrow I don’t know. It’s like tossing a coin and waiting to see what happens. It’s almost impressive.

“I know that I work every day to prepare the team, to do well. I don’t know if everyone in the team can say the same. We had the obligation to arrive today and do everything to win the match. And we didn’t do it.”

We actually did an analysis of those words at the time including who they were aimed at, also predicting the changes that would come after such as the benching of Theo Hernandez.

The privilege and the pressure

We are going to cheat a little on this last point and select two quotes, starting with the one uttered before the defeat against Atalanta. Fonseca was asked what satisfies him most about his work at Milan so far, plus what he wishes to improve.

“There are many things that leave me satisfied at the moment. You see the growth of the players, it is very important to me. I want to win, I want titles. But watching the people who work with me grow is the thing that gives me the most pleasure.

“I have players who give me this pleasure. After that, being coach of Milan is something that I think every day is a privilege. The things that I am not totally satisfied with I cannot say (smiles).

“Then there are the things on an individual level and on a collective level, but I do not want to say them. But they are there. If one day I get there then I will come here and I can say it. But today I am still a little far from what I would like.”

Before that, after the Fiorentina defeat and before the Udinese home game, he was asked a rather forward question: ‘Are you enjoying yourself?’

“I would like to have more fun. Being a coach, not only here, is not a very fun thing. We have moments. I think at this level it’s difficult to always be with a smile on your face. It’s not easy. But I know one thing: I bring my passion every day.

“I wouldn’t change my job for anyone else. It’s not because I have more money, but because I love what I do. It is difficult, it is also difficult for our families. I try to get home and forget my profession, but it is not easy. I have many difficult moments but also moments that I enjoy.

“I think being a coach at this time doesn’t make you the happiest person in the world every day. Being a coach at this level means that we have problems every day, but when you solve one of them then comes great happiness.”

The bizarre ending

The news regarding Fonseca’s likely departure dropped just 20 minutes before the game between Milan and Roma, which made for a very strange situation. Things got even more bizarre after the final whistle as the manager faced the press in the usual post-match conference.

When asked about the rumours, the Portuguese manager made it clear that he expected to be in charge of the team for the Supercoppa Italiana. The journalists, at that time, evidently knew more than him and a club can never be run like that.

“I haven’t spoken to anyone, I don’t know anything and I can’t comment because nothing happened. If I feel my job is safe? I haven’t talked to anyone.

“Do I think I will be Milan’s coach for the Supercoppa? I have no signs of the contrary. Tomorrow, I’m ready to work. Conceicao? What can I say? I’m not here to comment on things that I don’t know to be true, I can’t do that.”

Then, following a meeting with the management at San Siro, Fonseca exited the stadium and confirmed to the journalists present that he had been sacked. He took everything with grace and deserves a lot of credit for that, without a doubt.

“I have left Milan. That’s life, that’s how it is. I have a clear conscience, I did everything I could do.”

It was a bizarre ending to Fonseca’s tenure at the club, no question about it, and the management certainly could have handled things better.