AC Milan boss Paulo Fonseca could be on the brink of being fired after his side suffered a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League.

The Italian heavyweights initially led with a goal from Christian Pulisic but couldn’t hold back the tide as the Premier League powerhouse roared back to secure an easy win.

This blow has left Fonseca teetering on the edge just before the high-stakes clash in the upcoming Milan derby, with rumors swirling that another disappointing performance might see him ousted. Fresh reports suggest that Zlatan Ibrahimovic, senior adviser at the club, is already touching base with Edin Terzic, previously of Borussia Dortmund, as a possible replacement.

Sky Germany marks Terzic, once eyed by AS Roma, as a potential successor if Fonseca’s tenure is cut short, only months post-his arrival ordained by Milan’s hierarchy, even though we are only a few games into the new campaign. It’s been a rocky introduction to Italian football, with a lean five-point haul across his first four Serie A outings and the midweek defeat adding to the pressure on the ex-Lille manager.

Assuming an administrative mantle since December 2023, Ibrahimovic set the record straight before Liverpool’s meeting: “I am the boss and I am in charge, all the others work for me.”

Fonseca was candid in his post-match analysis, expressing disappointment at how his side capitulated after conceding Liverpool’s second goal by Virgil van Dijk just before half-time. Dominik Szoboszlai sealed the result in the second period.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot marked his 46th birthday with his first Champions League victory in a 3-1 win against AC Milan in Italy and said it was a “great way” to celebrate.

Slot, who succeeded Champions League-winning coach Jurgen Klopp at Anfield this summer, saw his team overturn a third-minute Christian Pulisic goal to seal the win in the San Siro with goals from Ibrahima Konaté, Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai.

And the former Feyenoord coach said his team produced the perfect performance to bounce back from a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

“A great way to spend my birthday,” Slot said. “We have more than 11 players and the ones that came in did well. You wouldn’t have said this after five minutes, but after we did well.

“Losing Saturday was a blow and to be 1-0 down early tonight, you are wondering how we react.

“But if you can play so good it is — I won’t say a disgrace — unbelievable you lose to Forest at home if you can play like this today.”

Slot gave Cody Gakpo his first start of the season and was repaid with an impressive performance by the Netherlands forward and the manager said the former PSV Eindhoven player produced what he expected.

“I would have played Cody Gakpo on Saturday but he played two games for the national side,” Slot said. “Today was more a team display than an individual display.”

It was a special day, too, for Liverpool captain Van Dijk, who marked his 50th appearance in the Champions League with just his third goal in the competition.

“Obviously I am very pleased with the win and I am pleased with the way we bounced back after a difficult start,” he told Sky Italy. “Overall we put in a very good performance with and without the ball.

“When there is a set-piece we try to be important. The delivery was outstanding in my opinion. Overall I am very pleased that we won and we limited them to only two big chances.

“We have been very successful over the years and I am always grateful for that. Things have moved on, the new manager is here and he has principles that are different.

“We are working on things and there are still things to improve.”

Former Super Eagles assistant coach Emmanuel Amuneke has stated why Atalanta sensation and Ballon d’Or nominee Ademola Lookman should emerge as the next CAF African Men’s Player of the Year.

The former Barcelona winger expressed his belief that Lookman’s outstanding displays for both Atalanta and the Nigerian national team position him as a compelling candidate for this esteemed accolade.

The 26-year-old striker demonstrated exceptional performance during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring three goals and contributing with an assist.

His outstanding form extended to the club level, culminating in a hat-trick during the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen.

The former Everton player’s outstanding displays have secured him a position on the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist, where he is the sole African player nominated this year. This further solidifies his reputation as a potential future contender for the CAF Player of the Year award.

Amuneke, a previous CAF Player of the Year winner, firmly believes that Lookman has the potential to win the award.

Amuneke underscored the significance of ongoing support for Nigerian players. “We need to continue supporting our players, both in Europe and in our local leagues. We all need one another to form the ecological system that governs our football for our football to thrive.”

Lookman is competing with Bayer Leverkusen forward Victor Boniface and Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz for Africa’s top individual football award.