Leonardo coy on future

Milan boss fuels exit rumours by refusing to shed light on situation

Last updated: 30th April 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Leonardo coy on future

Leonardo: Tough time

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Leonardo has done little to curb speculation surrounding his future as manager of AC Milan.

Reports on Thursday claimed the Brazilian was to be shown the door at Giuseppe Meazza, after just one season at the helm.

A failure to build a title challenge in Serie A, coupled with a disappointing last 16 exit in the UEFA Champions League, was believed to have made his position untenable.

Milan president Silvio Berlusconi was quoted as saying as much on Thursday, with the Italian prime minister claiming a decision to oust Leonardo had already been made.

However, vice-president Adriano Galliani has since denied that those quotes were ever made and maintains that Leonardo still has the full backing of the board.

The man himself, though, appears to be far from happy, fuelling rumours that he will leave his post in the summer.

Incompatible

Given an opportunity to clear the matter up at his pre-weekend press conference on Friday, Leonardo said: "I don't know what Berlusconi has said. But regardless of this, I cannot deny that our rapport is difficult.

"We are very different, perhaps incompatible. But the important thing is the three games we have remaining in Serie A and I want to do well.

"I want to end the season in the best possible way because we deserve it.

It has been claimed that Leonardo could choose to head home at the end of the season, with numerous possible roles touted, but he insists that he has no plans to return to Brazil in any capacity.

"I have not spoken about the future with anyone; not with Flamengo, nor the national team or the organising committee of the 2014 World Cup," he added.

"No-one has proposed anything to me and I am only thinking about our final three games."

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