Filippo Inzaghi has clung on to his job as Milan coach following their 3-1 home defeat by Genoa and will stay unless there are any major changes, the club said yesterday.

Italian media reported that Inzaghi could be replaced by youth team coach Cristian Brocchi for the final five matches of the season in an attempt to save the club from further embarrassment.

But an announcement on Milan's TV channel said that Inzaghi will “remain at the helm at Milan unless there are any major changes.”

Inzaghi’s position had become increasingly precarious following a run of four matches without a win which left his side in 10th place and set to miss out on European football for a second season in a row.

Milan have 43 points from 33 matches – 33 fewer than leaders Juventus.

Wednesday's defeat came as former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was meeting Thai businessman Bee Taechaubol to discuss the sale of the club, which he has owned for almost 30 years.

The players had been released from a so-called ‘ritiro’, in which they are confined to the club’s training headquarters.

They had agreed to the ‘ritiro’ after a 2-1 defeat at Udinese on Saturday when Inzaghi criticised them for lack of effort.

Milan’s season has been a story of crises, false dawns, injuries and new signings who have failed to settle in.

Fernando Torres came and went, scoring one goal in four months, and forwards Alessio Cerci and Mattia Destro have netted three goals between them since joining in January.

Inzaghi has been going through the same process as his predecessors Massimiliano Allegri, dismissed in January last year, and Clarence Seedorf, who followed him at the end of last season.

Both fell victim to a combination of unrealistically high expectations and a lacklustre squad, and were eventually fired.

Inzaghi was hugely popular with Milan fans, having spent most of his playing career at the club. The 41-year-old was handed the role as their youth team coach after ending his playing career three years ago.