Leonardo set for AC Milan exit

AC Milan coach Leonardo has strongly hinted he will leave the club at the end of the season.

There has been speculation for several weeks that Leonardo, in his first season in charge at the San Siro, would return home to Brazil and reports in the Italian media claim club owner Silvio Berlusconi is looking for a new coach.

Berlusconi was reported yesterday to have told Corriere dello Sport: "Yes he will leave, we are working on a new coach.

"The new coach? There are talks in place with others. Leonardo has been too tough headed and the team has played badly this season."

Leonardo has admitted today he has a difficult relationship with his boss and 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.

"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.

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

Leonardo, a former AC Milan player, has received praise since replacing Carlo Ancelotti last summer despite Milan being set to finish the campaign empty handed.

The Rossoneri were knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Udinese earlier this year and suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Manchester United in the Champions League.

Milan had opportunities earlier this month to leapfrog Inter Milan into first place in the scudetto race but failed to take advantage of them.

Milan have won just one of their last seven league games and lie third in Serie A, nine points behind league leaders Inter heading into tomorrow's match against Fiorentina.

The 40-year-old Leonardo is under contract with the Rossoneri for a further year.