Paulo Fonseca reveals discontent: “I deserved more time” at Milan.

Paulo Fonseca, the former coach of AC Milan, opened up about his brief stint at the club, revealing that he felt he deserved more time to implement his ideas at San Siro. In an analysis that goes beyond his experience, Fonseca highlights the difficulty of changing something that has been entrenched in the club for years, especially in the competitive context of Italian football.

In statements to the media, Fonseca expressed: “I deserved more time. Milan is an incredible club, and I enjoyed it a lot. I regret not having had time — their proposal was to change the game to a more expansive style.” He was hired in the summer of 2024 to succeed Stefano Pioli but was dismissed after the last game of the year against Roma, when Milan was in eighth place in the standings with 27 points.

Resistance to change is a central theme in his reflections. “Changing something they have had for so many years is not easy; you need time, especially in Italy, where it is even more difficult, almost impossible. We had incredible games, playing very good football. We needed to be more consistent, it’s true, but changing something in Italy is really complicated.” Despite being replaced by compatriot Sergio Conceição, Milan continued to face difficulties, failing to qualify for European competitions and losing the Coppa Italia final to Bologna.

Fonseca’s experience in Italian football, particularly during his time at Roma, contributed to his development as a coach. “I’m better defensively because I learned a lot in Italy,” he said. “In Ukraine, I learned a lot about how to play in the last 30 meters, because that was the situation I faced all the time, and that is the hardest part of football.”

Currently, Fonseca manages Lyon, which is in third place in Ligue 1, seven points behind leaders Lens. He reflects enthusiastically on the French league, praising the modern stadiums and the quality of players and coaches. “I love that the game here is open and the players love to play,” Fonseca concluded.

With a record of 46 wins in 93 matches in Serie A, and stints at Roma with a fifth-place finish in 2019-20 and a seventh in 2020-21, Fonseca remains a prominent figure in the football world, now seeking to solidify his career in France.