AC Milan have parted ways with head coach Massimiliano Allegri following a dismal end to the Serie A season that left the club without Champions League football for a second consecutive year.

The Rossoneri slipped from third to fifth in the final standings after a 2-1 defeat by Cagliari on the last day of the campaign. That result allowed rivals to leapfrog them and sealed their fate, with Inter Milan, Napoli, Roma, and Como — the latter qualifying for the first time in their history — all securing spots in next season's UEFA Champions League. AC Milan and Juventus must instead settle for the UEFA Europa League.

Ownership delivers damning verdict

American investment group RedBird Capital, who acquired AC Milan in 2022, issued a scathing statement pulling no punches in their assessment of the season's collapse.

"For the majority of this season, we were in the top two positions in Serie A, with a credible shot at competing for the Scudetto. The final stretch was completely inconsistent with the performance up to that point, with last night's disappointing loss in the final game turning the season into an unequivocal failure."

The statement concluded with a clear declaration: "It is now time for change and a comprehensive reorganization of football operations."

Widespread overhaul at San Siro

Allegri's dismissal is far from the only departure. Chief executive Giorgio Furlani, sporting director Igli Tare, and technical director Geoffrey Moncada have also all left the club, signalling a root-and-branch restructuring of Milan's football operations.

Allegri, 58, had only returned to the dugout in May last year for a second stint with the club, replacing Sergio Conceicao. His first spell at Milan ran from 2010 to 2014, during which he led the club to the Serie A title in 2010-11 and the Italian Super Cup the following season.

The scale of the second-half collapse tells its own story — Milan lost 7 of their final 14 matches as city rivals Inter clinched their second Scudetto in three seasons.