Allegri fired by AC Milan as club misses out on Champions League

AC Milan have sacked manager Massimiliano Allegri following a late-season collapse that ownership branded an "unequivocal failure" after the Serie A club ended the season in fifth place and missed out on Champions League qualification.

The veteran coach was dismissed alongside senior executives Giorgio Furlani, Igli Tare, and Geoffrey Moncada as part of a sweeping overhaul aimed at restructuring the club's football operations for next season.

Allegri concluded an abysmal second half of the Serie A season with a 2-1 home defeat to Cagliari on Sunday, with his side winning just one of their final four matches.

"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," a statement from the club said.

Allegri returned for a second spell at AC Milan this season, having previously led the club from 2010 to January 2014.

The team maintained a sustained challenge for the Serie A title for much of the campaign but saw a sharp decline in form at the end of the campaign that led to his dismissal.

"Further announcements regarding the next appointments will be made in due course - with the goal to be ready and well prepared for the next season," the club added.