AC Milan director Paolo Maldini believes that a collective spirit has been the key to success under Stefano Pioli and also revealed a bit about how the evolution of the squad has taken place.
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Milan were voted as the best Italian club in 2022 at the Gran Galà del Calcio awards last night and Maldini was present along with Pioli, Theo Hernandez, Rafael Leao and Mike Maignan. The director spoke to reporters present, with his words relayed by SempreMilan.it.
“We made history in Italian, European and world football. Milan is a club that has formed many great players and a club of value and values, so even as a man it was a very important stage because then it occupied a large part of my life,” he said.
Maldini has been praised for being a big part of Milan’s recent resurgence not just because of his work on the squad in the mercato but also because of his relationship with the players whom he gives advice to.
“Our work, both as a player and as a director, is made of passion and consequently is the basis of our successes: unity of purpose, great spirit and a lot of passion,” he said.
The team has certainly changed a lot from the dark days of the mid-2010s as there is now an exciting young core made up of players like Leao, Theo, Fikayo Tomori, Pierre Kalulu, Sandro Tonali, Ismael Bennacer and others, and Maldini explained how the squad is taking shape.
“Choices are made every day. These choices are linked to the future of this club and consequently to the future of these guys too. Sometimes we forget that they are boys, and I have had one of my children in the squad among other things,” he said.
“I also know the need for an 18-19-20 [year old] player at certain times, so experience like mine being fundamental. I am lucky to be able to see all the training, I am in contact with them together with Ricky Massara. We try to intervene naturally also seeing what Pioli always says every day, in the right way and without going beyond those needs,” he said.
Finally, Maldini also spoke about the difference between playing and being stuck watching: “Behind the desk you suffer to death, if you play you can vent!”
