Milan, Portuguese duel for the bench: Conceiçao or Fonseca?

by our correspondent Luca Bianchin

May 5, 2024 (changed at 10:58) – MILANELLO (VARESE)

So what, Zorro or Twister? Paulo Fonseca, who showed up at the Shakhtar conference dressed as Zorro, or Sergio Conceiçao, who as a boy they called Twister, Tornado? Milan lived the first Saturday of May with the search for the next coach in their minds. And at the moment there are two favorites to take the right bench at San Siro. They have one nationality in common: Portuguese.

moments

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Candidates come to the big exam differently, with an opposite path. Paulo Fonseca has always been liked by Milan. He was among the names selected by the autumn for a possible post-Pioli situation: one of the favourites, always in the very front row until the moment Milan chose Julen Lopetegui. After the earthquake a week ago, with the protests of the fans decisive in the change of program, Fonseca re-occupied his place in the front row. Sergio Conceiçao, on the other hand, is a candidate of the last few days, promoted by Jorge Mendes, a very important agent who worked on the renewal of Leao with Milan a year ago. He is liked for his CV and decision in managing teams, after all he often plays with the 4-2-3-1 like Pioli’s Milan.

times

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Milan wants to choose without anxiety, with the usual extended agreement between Giorgio Furlani, Geoffrey Moncada and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with a final ok from Gerry Cardinale. Next week, however, will be fundamental, also because the topic of the coach occupies Milan’s thoughts from morning to night. The rest, starting with the negotiations for number 9, will come later. So yes, it is possible that a decision will be made soon. Ultimately, Milan are the masters of their destiny, they have no coaches who have put them on hold: if they chose a coach – at least, if they chose one between Fonseca and Conceiçao – they would have the chance to close quickly.

Paulo and Marseille

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So, let’s talk about the two favorites. Paulo Fonseca will play for Lille tomorrow. Very clear objective: to qualify directly for the next Champions League, winning the sprint against Brest (and Nice, further away). Enough to force Fonseca to focus on the present. However, there are at least two proposals on his table that make him think. Marseille offered him to be the key man in the new project, with ample opportunity to make an impact, and Lille offered him to continue in the North of France, also because Fonseca has once again entered the list of candidates for the coach’s prize of the year in France. However, Milan is a logical priority: they have charm, they play the Champions League, they would represent the possibility of returning to Italy after two years at Roma. This is why Fonseca is waiting: he will almost certainly not stay in Lille and, if Milan told him they were ready to sign, he would smile wide under his Zorro mask.

sergio and the port

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Conceiçao instead played yesterday in Chaves and won, as expected. He was and remains third in the Portuguese championship. The plans include a meeting with André Villas Boas, Porto’s new president, for tomorrow with the aim of discussing the future. Conceiçao signed a renewal until 2028 with Pinto da Costa, who however lost the elections, and is now in a position to decide. Start an eighth season with Porto or change? Widespread prediction: he won’t stay. Italian certainty (and not only): if he could, he would sign with Milan tomorrow. The rivalry as a former Inter player wouldn’t be a problem: ambition weighs much more.

the choice

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Milan is therefore thinking about it, as it has been thinking about other candidates for days. He contacted Roberto Martínez, Portugal coach (by the way…), and made a call to Mark van Bommel, who is leaving Antwerp. He will decide according to the criteria known for some time: a coach ready to work as a team on the market, not a centralizer, a coach good at developing the qualities of young people. Fonseca and Conceiçao are different, they have a different idea of ​​football and approach the public in a very personal way. Who is favored? Yesterday Fonseca seemed to have something more but certainties, after Lopetegui, are banished. The sky over Milan can change quickly.