GdS: ‘High tension’ – why Fonseca is unhappy with Theo and is starting Jimenez | OneFootball

The Theo Hernandez case continues to rumble on at AC Milan, and a report has explained where Paulo Fonseca currently stands.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport report, Alex Jimenez is the current starter at left-back in Fonseca’s eyes. This satisfies the Spaniard but also his team-mates and the staff, who regularly praise his hunger and desire in training.

What happened with Theo? His coach is not happy with him, with his attitude, and he did not even like what he saw in the Verona game. Fonseca has put attitude, application in training and in matches at the top of his list of demands since arriving, and the Frenchman is paying for this.

The obvious example to look at is Rafael Leao, who was benched for three out of four league games at one point – including against Antonio Conte’s Napoli – but has since come back and looked more like his old self.

Theo’s season has not been easy. Hernandez returned to Milanello on August 3, when his teammates were in the United States. He started training with Milan Futuro and two weeks later, in his league debut, he was benched for Alexis Saelemaekers.

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Theo then became a starter, as was always planned, until the last two games. He remains the seventh-most used Milan player in the league in terms of minutes and in September he hit 29 goals in Serie A, match Paolo Maldini as the defender with the most goals in Milan’s history.

Recently, however, something broke and it is no mystery that Theo was the first recipient of Fonseca’s outburst after Milan-Red Star. And now? Logic, says that it is time to find a way to work in harmony because Theo is too strong and too important for the team.

It is no coincidence that Fonseca has been reassuring in his latest statements: “Theo has played a lot, he has been in the national team. He has not yet found his best physical condition, he is very important for us.

Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

“It is never a punishment for him, it is simply to get him back in the best condition. I continue to say that for me he is the best full-back in the world.” For this reason it is possible that Theo will train at Milanello in these three days off, before returning with the team on the 26th.

The situation remains delicate even for the off-field. The left-back’s contract expires in June 2026 and the club – who met with his agent on Monday 16 – are optimistic about the renewal. Theo wants to stay at Milan even if he hasn’t struck the same feeling with Fonseca as he did with Stefano Pioli.

The future, like this, must be lived day by day. An offer from a big European club could convince everyone to turn the page. In the present however he must win back his starting spot from the 19-year-old Jimenez, something that seemed unthinkable a few weeks ago.