It was a disheartening season for AC Milan, marked by their failure to secure a spot in European soccer next year. After a 3-1 defeat to AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, their chances of finishing in the top six and entering UEFA competitions vanished. The Rossoneri also lost the Coppa Italia final to Bologna on May 14, shutting the door on any chance for a Europa League appearance in the 2025-26 season.

This season has been especially disappointing for the club, owned by the RedBird group led by American businessman Gerry Cardinale. After a summer reshuffle in 2024, where CEO Giorgio Furlani and advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic opted for Paulo Fonseca as head coach rather than other candidates like Antonio Conte, the choices proved disastrous. Following a lackluster start to the campaign, Milan dismissed Fonseca on December 29 and appointed Sergio Conceicao. While he managed to claim victory in the Supercoppa Italiana, it stood as the only highlight in a series of unfortunate events.

“With a 3-1 loss against Roma, Milan will NOT be playing European football next season.” — CBS Sports Golazo Source

Milan’s troubles continued as they were eliminated by Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League playoffs. Despite an impressive semifinal showing against Inter in the Coppa Italia, their season concluded in disappointment with a final loss to Bologna.

As the club seeks to appoint a sporting director to steer it into the next season with renewed hope, it seems likely that Conceicao’s time with the team will also come to an end after this troubled season, which saw two managerial changes in under 11 months.