AC Milan concluded one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory, failing to secure qualification for any European competition next season (2025-26). Their hopes of reaching the top six in Serie A, which grants access to UEFA tournaments, were extinguished following a 3-1 defeat away to AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico. Adding to their woes, the Rossoneri also lost the Coppa Italia final against Bologna on May 14, thereby missing out on a potential spot in the UEFA Europa League for the 2025-26 campaign.
The season proved particularly frustrating for the club, owned by the RedBird group led by American businessman Gerry Cardinale. Scrutiny falls on decisions made in the summer of 2024 by CEO Giorgio Furlani and advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic, notably the appointment of former Lille coach Paulo Fonseca over more established names like Antonio Conte, who is now on the verge of guiding Napoli to potentially their fourth Serie A title. Following a poor start to the league season, AC Milan opted to sack Fonseca on December 29, appointing former FC Porto manager Sergio Conceicao as his replacement. Just a week after his official unveiling, the new manager did lead the team to victory in the Supercoppa Italiana final with an exciting second-half comeback against rivals Inter. However, this solitary triumph proved to be the only positive note during his tenure.
Beyond their struggles in domestic league performance, AC Milan also exited the UEFA Champions League early, being knocked out by Feyenoord in the playoffs before the knockout stage. Conceicao`s side experienced another moment of success by winning the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against city rivals Inter with a 3-0 scoreline, only to suffer a 1-0 defeat to Bologna in the final played last week in Rome.
As the club reportedly continues its search for a sporting director to oversee operations from the summer of 2025, Sergio Conceicao himself is widely expected to leave in the coming days. This managerial instability – having appointed two managers within a span of less than eleven months – starkly underscores the significant disappointment of the 2024-25 season for AC Milan.
