AC Milan endured a profoundly disappointing 2024-25 season, culminating in their failure to secure qualification for any European football competitions in the upcoming 2025-26 campaign. Their hopes were dashed by poor domestic form, including a crucial 3-1 defeat away to AS Roma, which left them outside the top six spots required for UEFA qualification. Further compounding their woes, the Rossoneri also suffered a 1-0 defeat to Bologna in the Coppa Italia final on May 14th, eliminating another potential route to Europe.
This season`s struggles represent a significant setback for the club, owned by the RedBird group led by American businessman Gerry Cardinale. The difficulties were arguably exacerbated by decisions made prior to the season, notably the controversial appointment of Paulo Fonseca as head coach last summer instead of other candidates like Antonio Conte, who is now set to manage Napoli. Following a disappointing start under Fonseca, the club opted for a change, sacking him on December 29th and bringing in former FC Porto manager Sergio Conceicao. While Conceicao did oversee an exciting comeback victory against city rivals Inter Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana final shortly after his arrival, this proved to be the sole highlight of his tenure.
Throughout the season, the team struggled for consistency in Serie A. Their European campaign in the UEFA Champions League was also cut short with an exit in the playoffs. Despite a convincing 3-0 win over Inter in the Coppa Italia semifinal second leg, the subsequent loss in the final sealed their fate regarding European qualification via the cup competition.
For USMNT star Christian Pulisic, who was a key player for Milan throughout the season, this failure means a campaign without playing in UEFA competitions in 2025-26. The club`s instability is further underscored by the expectation that Sergio Conceicao will depart shortly, marking the hiring and departure of two managers within less than a year. AC Milan is reportedly still seeking a new sporting director to help steer the club forward from the summer of 2025.
