Paulo Fonseca Goes All Jose Mourinho as AC Milan’s Rollercoaster Leaves Him Exasperated and Tired

Not since Andriy Shevchenko scored the winner in the second leg of the 2005 Champions League semi-final had AC Milan won four matches in a row on European football’s grandest stage.

A lot of water has passed under the proverbial bridges over the Navigli since the Ukrainian sank Inter Milan to book the Rossoneri a step closer to a date with Liverpool in Istanbul.

While the Reds may be back in the final this season, the chances of Milan joining them are about as slim as that of Shevchenko leading the line again himself.

And yet, courtesy of Tammy Abraham’s late winner against Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday night, Il Diavolo has now won four consecutive Champions League fixtures for the first time since the likes of Kaka, Shevchenko and Clarence Seedorf ruled Europe.

But Paulo Fonseca was in no mood to celebrate.

“I can’t say I’m satisfied with the performance. I’m not angry, just disappointed,” the Portuguese said in his post-match press conference.

“Sure, we won and we’re in a good position, but that’s just how I am. Sometimes I’m tired of fighting against these things.”

Fonseca had hitherto acted a shield to his players this season, going out of his way to bat for them at crucial juncture of the campaign – namely ahead of the Milan derby in October and prior to the trip to the Santiago Bernabeu.

In both instances, his faith in his team was handsomely repaid with landmark victories.

Even after the defeat against Atalanta on Friday night, Fonseca had sought to divert the attention away from his players, criticising referee Dino Tommasi instead.

But on Wednesday night, an exasperated Fonseca aimed his wrath firmly at his team, warning his established stars he would not hesitate to bring in players from the academy to replace them.

“I know I work hard every day to do my best and lead the team,” he said. 

“I don’t know if everyone on the team can say the same. We had the ambition to come here and give our all tonight. And we didn’t.

“But I will never stop. My conscience is clear.”

This was Mourinhoesque stuff. 

Fonseca didn’t so much throw some of his players under the bus, he made sure to reverse over them several times.

“Our team is a rollercoaster,” he continued. 

“One day we’re on top, the next who knows? It’s incredible. The players need to understand that this can’t keep happening.”

Too often this season, Milan have taken their eye off the ball against opponents they were expected to beat, a frustrating trait for a team capable of beating Inter and shocking Real Madrid.

The usual frailties were on display again on Wednesday night, with Rafael Leao’s first half opener cancelled out by Nemanja Radonjic’s long-range effort halfway through the second half.

Leao has become an unwilling symbol of Milan’s frustrating inconsistency under Fonseca, but here was his best version of himself.

After providing an assist for Alvaro Morata in the defeat against Atalanta, the Portuguese was on the scoresheet against Red Star.

The confident, direct winger that had helped guide the Rossoneri to the Serie A title in 2022 has re-emerged over the past month after a difficult autumn, and Fonseca deserves credit for that.

But if Leao didn’t fade out of the game, Milan did.

Dominant in the first 45 minutes, Milan spurned a glorious chance to put the game to bed shortly after the break as Abraham missed a sitter from close range.

The wasted chance seemed to take the wind out of their sails, with Fonseca’s men camped in their own half and handing the initiative to the visitors.

Red Star duly seized the opportunity and levelled the score, before Abraham redeemed himself, turning in a rebound after Francesco Camarda’s header had cannoned off the bar.

The win lifted Milan up to 12th in the Champions League table, just ahead of Serie A rivals Atalanta and Juventus and almost certainly clinched a play-off spot.

They could still qualify directly for the knockout stage with wins against Girona and Dinamo Zagreb in January. 

While Milan should comfortably beat both, nothing can be taken for granted with this side. 

Fonseca was clear: “It’s not a matter of tactics or technique. 

“We’ve come here for a crucial fixture, and yet there’s this sense that we’re not fully committed to winning. That’s the most disappointing aspect.”

Six months into his tenure at the San Siro, Fonseca sounded and looked like a man who was both exasperated and increasingly tired.

Milan’s rollercoaster may be a thrilling ride, but one fraught with dangers.