AC Milan’s honorary vice president Franco Baresi has spoken out about the sacking of his former team-mate Paolo Maldini, and also stressed the need for the squad to improve to move forward.
It has been a remarkable and strange last few days for Milan fans and no doubt the players to try and digest, given that Zlatan Ibrahimovic retired from football and less than 24 hours later news broke that Maldini and Ricky Massara had been sacked.
Maldini may have gone but another icon remains at the club in Baresi, who spoke to La Gazzetta dello Sport about the events of the last few days and the plans for the future.
As the last true icon left in the club, what do you feel like saying to the Rossoneri supporters?
“The affection and gratitude towards Paolo will be there forever. To the fans, who I imagine feel a little embittered and lost right now, I say that we must always think of the good of the club and of the club: only if we remain united, starting from the team that is the engine of everything.
“Together with all the others who operate in the Milan world, we will work in one direction so that we can achieve the goals we all want. I ask the fans once again to show the maturity they have always shown in the past and to support the team with great passion, because only together can we achieve great successes.”
CEO Furlani told La Gazzetta: ‘Our ambition hasn’t changed, on the contrary it has strengthened: to be competitive at the top of European football’. Will Milan next season be structured to fight for the Scudetto and the Champions League?
“Yes, that’s the aim. The owners will work to strengthen the team, as they are aware of the importance of managing a club like Milan, in order to remain protagonists and competitive.
“We must not be prejudiced, we must think that the property has made an important investment with the awareness of the value of this club. Milan are a great club, it has a great history and, as our CEO said, ambitions don’t change. We must do our utmost to continue the positive path of recent years.”
The figure of Maldini in recent years has also been important in the management of the squad, with his daily presence at Milanello. Could Ibrahimovic be the right man to give continuity in the dressing room and act as the glue between players and club?
“The team must be aware that they are the engine of everything: every player has the responsibility of wearing this shirt and the thought must always be to give their best on the pitch. The club will certainly put them in the best position to do so.
“As far as post-Maldini management is concerned, the club are already moving accordingly, making all the energy and tools available to ensure that the team works serenely and has the goal of thinking about the pitch.
“The figure of Ibrahimovic, his personality, has certainly been important in recent years, but I don’t know what he will do in the future. His farewell moved everyone, and even the heart of a tough guy like him melted in front of the great, well-deserved affection that the Rossoneri fans showed him.”
You have experienced Milan first as a player and then as a manager. What is your idea of the new reorganisation of the club, with management based on an ‘American’ model?
“I have experienced many ownership groups after I stopped playing, with different dynamics, but I think we must always have respect for the strategies and ideas that management wants to bring.
“The important thing is the common good in the name of Milan: each owner can have their own strategies, their own models, but surely if we all work in harmony together we will be able to achieve the goals we want.”
Have you met Cardinale?
“I got to know him when he arrived at Casa Milan, and there, when we toured the museum, I realised that he immediately understood the importance and responsibility he would have for the history of Milan and for the millions of fans. I am convinced that he knows the importance of keeping these colours flying high.”
Pioli is the bridge between past, present and future. From next season he will be more involved in the transfer market and his responsibilities will increase, will this be his most difficult challenge at Milan?
“I believe that Pioli has always maintained a serene dialogue with the club’s management, always having the freedom to express his ideas on every occasion, even with Maldini and Massara.
“I think this relationship will strengthen as Pioli knows better than anyone the needs of the team, the players he has at his disposal and where he needs to improve. It could be an added value.”
What is needed from the summer window for the team to grow? In which positions do you need to intervene?
“To compete on multiple fronts, it’s important to have a broader, higher-quality squad, and I believe the club will act accordingly, because there is a basis for doing well in multiple leagues.”
To select targets, Milan will increasingly rely on data analysis: is this a model that can work in a top club?
“Data is important, but the human and technical aspect matters too. Data is welcome, especially if it can help to make fewer mistakes and gather more information.”
Well said capitano Baresi!
“I believe that Pioli has always maintained a serene dialogue with the club’s management, always having the freedom to express his ideas on every occasion, even with Maldini and Massara”
This is the key. No player came to the team without the approval of Pioli at all.
Yes. it’s why I don’t buy that Maldini just went out of his way to get players without Pioli’s consent.
“I ask the fans once again to show the maturity they have always shown in the past and to support the team with great passion, because only together can we achieve great successes”
Sounding a little bit nervous there Baresi lol 😂
Btw nice way to toe the company line 😄
Would have been interesting if he said what Maldini said so I can grab more popcorn. I love the drama hahahaha 🤣
So you really are 10 years old