Serie A - Leonardo in, Ancelotti out at Milan

Eurosport - Mon, 01 Jun 10:16:00 2009

Brazilian Leonardo will be Milan's coach following Carlo Ancelotti's departure, chief executive Adriano Galliani has said.

FOOTBALL 2008-09 Serie A Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti and technical director Leonardo - 0

"It will be Leonardo. Tomorrow he will be presented at 12," he told Rai television.

The former Milan player has been working as sporting director at the club.

Ancelotti has said he would leave the club by mutual agreement but he did not say he was going to join Chelsea.

His contract was due to run out in 2010 but speculation has been rife for weeks that he is heading to the Premier League club.

"In agreement with the club, we have decided to bring forward the expiry of my contract," he told Sky.

"This beautiful adventure at Milan is over. I can't say anything else official. I have not made any agreement with any other club."

"I have agreed to leave Milan. The decision was by mutual consent. But a move to London is not certain yet."

However when he was told "good luck" in English, he replied: "This I won't understand until I arrive."

Ancelotti was Serie A's longest serving manager having been appointed in 2001.

He decided to leave the club after his side booked their place in the Champions League group stages and gave Paolo Maldini a winning send-off as they beat Fiorentina 2-0.

But while Maldini was afforded a great reception from both sets of fans in Florence to celebrate his 24 years as a Milan player, Ancelotti made a more discreet departure.

The Italian has been widely tipped to join Chelsea next season, despite Milan's fans chanting for him to stay throughout the game.

AFP / Reuters

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  1. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, leonardo, not convinced - opinions­ please,

    From chrisman.6915, on Mon 1 Jun 3:34AM

  2. Good for Milan, I think you will see Rony, Kaka and­ Pato playing together a really football. I really­ appreciate what Carlo did to Milan but we need a new­ cycle. teams now can read his game and that is why we­ are not doing that well. let us have an attacking­ football and enough of playing with 6 player in the­ midfield defending. Frank Rikard with have been a­ better option but my feeling Leonardo will do well as­ well. Forza Milan

    From Zeiad, on Mon 1 Jun 3:23AM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Ancelotti is gay

    From Half A Brain, on Mon 1 Jun 3:03AM

  4. cup of tea, all footballers cheat, every single one, to­ the point where a referee does not give a free kick­ unless the player goes down, fouled or not, so where do­ you draw the line?

    From mark, on Mon 1 Jun 1:48AM

  5. they dived did they? what? all of them? the whole team­ dived and cheatingly won a penalty? clever bloke­ here...so if a goal is given that is not a goal this­ constitutes the benefiting team being cheats­ right?....hmmm, scott s, i think you might be a little­ bit thick.

    From mark, on Mon 1 Jun 1:44AM

  6. Like Terry Venables said yesterday after the cup­ final.Managing Chelsea might be a bit of a poisoned­ chalice,but as @#$% jobs go,who wouldn't have a go­ at it.After all..whats to lose.Nothing really,its all­ set up for whoever takes it!

    From d.dill.1471, on Mon 1 Jun 1:33AM

  7. I'm glad it's Leonardo, not Van Basten

    From A.L., on Mon 1 Jun 12:05AM

  8. Anchelotti is a great man dat can never b 4geted in­ milan but let leonardo do d work. 4rm seunnmania

    From seunmania, on Mon 1 Jun 12:02AM

  9. baherami, liverpool were best teamin england hahahaha.­ chelsea dominated the league that year and liverpool­ only beat them in CL cause of a goal that didnt cross­ the line. they dived to get an undeserved penalty so­ they did cheat in semi final and the final

    From yip, on Sun 31 May 11:53PM

  10. I believe leonardo will do well in milan. It was the­ guy that masterminded the coming of kaka, pato and­ thiago silva to milan and more are yet to come. So­ without doubt he,s gonna do well as the coach of Ac­ milan..

    From Thompson, on Sun 31 May 11:35PM

  11. any chance of a go on the wife?my pal said she not bad­ for a raspberry.you mug.

    From tommy, on Sun 31 May 11:02PM

  12. milan should of got steve staunton as manager

    From Mark, on Sun 31 May 10:56PM

  13. cockless, put on a rubber cup and shut up you annoying­ rubbish talking idiot

    From United, kids, wife, on Sun 31 May 10:34PM

  14. guus is betta than him

    From chelsea, on Sun 31 May 10:33PM

  15. Leonardo?? That is dumb decision

    From Half A Brain, on Sun 31 May 10:31PM

  16. i agree, either Zola or rykaard would make the better­ chelsea manager

    From Jamie, on Sun 31 May 10:23PM

  17. They are just doing a "guardiola"..

    From 3.14, on Sun 31 May 10:17PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    dimwitted turd bit harsh cup o tea.ireckon yr name is­ proper pony you f@kin mug(o tea)
    you ever pay to watch­ yr team?or do you just pretend to be a fan?

    From tommy, on Sun 31 May 9:42PM

  19. sorry stan that is king of something but why do you go­ on and on and on??with obvious facts.bet yr into­ dungeons and dragons you nerd.

    From tommy, on Sun 31 May 9:34PM

  20. fair enough 2007 pretty recent...2 seasons a long time­ in football..maybe we should all pay someone so we can­ win.oh you already did that eh?

    From tommy, on Sun 31 May 9:30PM
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