Fonseca accuses Milan of favouring Amorim and leaving him unsupported

Portuguese coach Paulo Fonseca, who led AC Milan in early 2024, told SportWeek in a candid interview at the San Siro that the club favoured newcomer Ruben Amorim, with owner Gerry Cardinale personally welcoming him, while “nobody was there” to support Fonseca during his tenure.

Fonseca was appointed by AC Milan in early 2024. The club gave him a clear brief to overhaul its football identity.

He was tasked with making Milan dominant, possessing the ball and attacking in the opponent’s half. This vision matched his own football philosophy.

“I am disappointed, yes, because two years ago I was called for one reason: to change the style of play of the team,” Fonseca said. He added, “They told me: ‘We want Milan to become dominant, to have possession and play in the opponent’s half.’ Perfect, I replied, because it is my idea of football too.”

After leaving Milan, Fonseca took charge of Lyon in Ligue 1. He believes the process required more patience and that he was not given enough time to implement his ideas.

He expressed particular frustration at the different treatment received by Amorim, who was recently welcomed by Cardinale at Milanello. “I saw that Amorim arrived at Milanello and Cardinale himself was there to welcome him. When I arrived, nobody was there,” Fonseca said.

Fonseca also criticised a wider issue in Italian football, arguing that individual players can sometimes have too much influence. “In Italy, players often count more than the club. If someone, even a strong player, did not deserve to play, with me they did not play. Nobody is bigger than the Rossoneri,” he asserted.

The Portuguese coach defended his approach to developing young talent, insisting his home country has one of the best systems for preparing players for elite football. He maintained that nurturing youth aligns with his football ideals.

A photo taken on December 15, 2024 shows Paulo Fonseca, Head Coach of AC Milan, watching the Serie A clash between AC Milan and Genoa at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in MILAN, Italy.