AC Milan have sacked manager Paulo Fonseca after just six months in charge following their 1-1 draw at home to Roma.
The result left the seven-time European champions in eighth place in the Serie A table, 14 points adrift of joint-leaders Atalanta and Napoli.
Milan sit 12th in the 36-team Champions League table having lost two and won four of their six matches.
Fonseca was appointed in June to replace Stefano Pioli, who guided Milan to a second-place finished in the league last season and their first league title in 11 years in 2022.
"The club extends its gratitude to Paulo for his great professionalism and wishes him the very best in his future endeavours," read a statement on Milan's website.
Speaking to reporters as he left San Siro on Sunday night, Fonseca appeared to confirm he had been dismissed.
"Yes, it's true. I'm out," Fonseca said from his car outside the stadium. "That's life. I did everything I could."
Milan face Juventus in the first leg of the semi-finals of the Italian Super Cup on 3 January, with the second leg on 18 January.
Italian media reports suggest former Porto manager Sergio Conceicao is expected to replace Fonseca.
The draw
AC Milan played out a 1-1 draw at home against AS Roma in a hard-fought and heated Serie A clash on Sunday, where an early goal from Tijjani Reijnders was equalised shortly after by a stunning volley from Paulo Dybala.
The result put Milan eighth with 27 points, 14 behind Atalanta and Napoli at the joint top, while Roma are 10th with 20 points.
The atmosphere at San Siro was intense, with eight yellow cards issued as the two teams played out the final match of the year.
Artem Dovbyk tested Milan and goalkeeper Mike Maignan in the opening minutes, firing a low shot that struck the base of the post.
Milan broke the deadlock after 16 minutes when Youssouf Fofana advanced into the box and played the ball across to Reijnders, who fired it in with a first-time shot.
Seven minutes later, Roma responded with a moment of football magic inside the box when Dovbyk flicked the ball with a clever back-heel, lifting it into the air to set up Paulo Dybala who sent a perfect volley into the net to even the score.
The first half grew heated just before the break when Reijnders went down inside the box, but the referee waved play on. Milan coach Paulo Fonseca's protests led to his dismissal for dissent.
Late drama
Milan welcomed Ismael Bennacer's return in the second half, marking his first appearance since suffering a serious calf muscle tear in August. Shortly after, Dovbyk tested Maignan once again with a shot from a tight angle, but the French goalkeeper was quick to react and denied the effort.
The hosts then took control of the match, with Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar making several key saves, including a stunning diving stop to deny Samuel Chukwueze just before the hour mark.
In the final stages of the match, the momentum shifted back to Roma, with Stephan El Shaarawy seeing his effort saved by Maignan.
Eldor Shomurodov's header from a free kick was expertly tipped onto the crossbar by Maignan minutes before time, though the Roma substitute was already flagged offside.
Dybala missed the chance to be the hero for Roma in the final moments, blasting a shot just over the bar in stoppage time.
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