Milan turn to old boy Allegri as managerial musical chairs begins

MILAN: Massimiliano Allegri returned to AC Milan on Friday as the ailing seven-time European champions try once again to rebuild following an awful season, on a busy day for managerial moves in Serie A. Milan have turned to serial winner Allegri in their hour of need following the expected sacking of Sergio Conceicao, who leaves the San Siro club after five miserable months in charge.

Milan did not reveal details of the deal but Italian media widely report that Allegri has signed a two-year contract worth five million euros a season, with the option to extend for a further two years. Allegri has become the fourth coach in a year for Milan, who finished this past Serie A season in eighth place and missed out on European football for next term.

The 57-year-old led Milan to the 2011 Scudetto in his first stint in charge, between 2010 and 2014, and he was their coach for one of the most infamous episodes in recent Serie A history. Milan were beating Juventus, rivals for the 2012 league title, 1-0 in February that year when a Sulley Muntari goal was not given despite the ball clearly crossing the line.

Juve went on to draw that game 1-1 and then win their first title in nine years -- finishing the campaign unbeaten -- and two years later hired Allegri who then won Serie A five more times in his two spells with the Turin giants.

Allegri had been on hiatus since being sacked by Juve in May last year, his final act there being a post-match rampage after winning the Italian Cup in which he railed at officials and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli.

Conceicao, a former Inter Milan and Lazio player, was hired in late December in place of his countryman Paulo Fonseca on a contract until next year. The 50-year-old began in positive fashion at Milan by winning the Italian Super Cup in January, but he failed to claim a Champions League spot for a talented but inconsistent team that also lost the Italian Cup final to Bologna earlier this month.

Conceciao, 50, won 16 of 31 games in charge at Milan, including 11 victories, seven losses and three draws in the league and also had to deal with vociferous protests from supporters against the club´s American owners RedBird.

Fans demonstrated in large numbers outside Milan´s headquarters ahead of their team´s final match of the season, a dead-rubber against relegated Monza last weekend. That protest was a culmination of months of visible anger from supporters who have watched Milan slide down the league after Stefano Pioli took them to second place in 2023/24.

For months matches have been punctuated by loud calls for owner Gerry Cardinale, the founder of investment fund RedBird, to sell the club as fans watched Inter battle for the Serie A title and arrive at this weekend´s Champions League final.

Also looking for a new coach are Roma after Claudio Ranieri retired for the second time in the space of a year, with Gian Piero Gasperini reported to be the capital club´s prime target. Meanwhile even Simone Inzaghi had to play down reports of a mega-money move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, rumours which arrived out of the blue ahead of Inter Milan´s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.