Former AC Milan defender and director Paolo Maldini has responded to recent comments from Rossoneri president Paolo Scaroni suggesting he views his past with bitterness.
Scaroni was speaking at an event earlier in the week when he was asked about Maldini, and Scaroni revealed that he has not heard from the former captain since he departed from the club.
The president then suggested that Maldini may have bitterness about the way his time at Milan ended, saying: “I have not heard from him. When somebody looks at the past with bitterness, it means that he’s not living the present too well. I hope this is not Maldini’s case, and I wish him a life full of satisfaction.”
Maldini has since responded to these comments through Corriere della Sera (via Alfredo Pedulla), succinctly explaining that he only views his past in a happy way.
“If I look at my past, I can’t stop smiling,” Maldini said.
Maldini and Frederic Massara both departed in the summer of 2023 in what proved to be a summer of much change for Milan. There were protracted contract negotiations and rumoured disagreements between the two directors on the sporting side, and the RedBird Capital Group ownership over how the transfer window should pan out.
With Sandro Tonali leaving for Newcastle around the same time, two major fan favourites had left Milan and the mood was low. Summer signings like Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have softened the losses over that summer and Maldini appears not to hold any grudges.
There was an interview where he wasn’t smiling…
he wasnt looking past then
At that past interview, he was looking at the future (now past) where we lost the recent derby.
Scaroni a looser! You don’t talk about someone negatively if you yourself aren’t bitter about the person, the words that came from scaroni mouth is a reflection of what is in his heart!. He knew deep down in his deepest heart that Maldini prophecy has finally come true, he knew Maldini was right he was wrong, now he was trying to paint him black, who does that? This shows the class, spirit and personality of our president! Berlusconi never did that…scaroni Maldini is bigger than you..
I think it’s more a media thing, no need to put so much thoughts on this. What Scaroni meant for sure is bitterness in terms of personal relationships, which is more than obvious statement and Maldini had a clever comeback referring to his glorious history with the club.
Again, too much drama around this. Yes, he is a legend of the club and one of the greatest in the history of the game, but he is not owner. Other people invest and make the executive decisions of how to run the club. He was not in their plans, they kept him for a while, but obviously there was too much tension even with Elliot. Their co-existence was not healthy for the club, so the natural thing happened.
The thing they did wrong was how they executed this. The American corporate culture differs hugely from the way things are done in the Southern part of Europe. Hopefully they learn their lesson.
Wash off your clown make up before you speak about Il Capitano.
He didn’t say anything about Franco Baresi.
Lol 😂 must have been rough 25+ years for u seeing, I guess the other il Capitano, lift several trophies.
With all due respect to Baresi, he can’t hold a candle to what Maldini means to Milan.
Incredible the hate of this guy for Maldini, like he burned his house and left him for dead hahaha if he didn’t say Baresi I would have bet on Javier Zanetti as his capitano 😂
Right, saying that Baresi is the true Milan captain means that Zanetti is my captain. 😂
Fanboys👏
Stick to hating on ownership because they fired Paolo, hiding behind some fake moral consciousness about your concern for taxpayers money and green environment
Lol😂
Do you even know what IL Capitano means?
You are talking 25 + years, Baresi was a Milan captain for 15 years. From age 22 until he retired at 37. Almost his entire career he was a Milan captain,
Maldini didn’t become a captain until IL Capitano retired and Maldini was 30.
And by saying that Baresi can’t hold candle to what Maldini means to Milan shows your ignorance.
Milan player of the century- Franco Baresi. BTW Maldini was 32 at the end of that century.
Serie A player of the century- Franco Baresi. Think about all of the great players that played in serie A during the 20th century and Franco Baresi is the player of the century of the whole league.
Milan greatest era was happening when Franco Baresi was the captain and best defender on the team.
Educate yourself before speaking.
You very well know Maldini is more synonymous with Milan. Ask an average person, Milan fan or general sports fan and they’ll say that. By FAR the name most associated with Milan is Maldini. Again no disrespect to Baresi, I cannot understate that line Enough. I’m well aware of who he is. Granted I only saw Baresi from say late 80s onwards which is still half of his captaincy, it must mean you are like 60+ years old to see Baresi’s whole career.
Never said Baresi wasn’t a club legend or not one of the best all time CBs and Milan legends but come on. This article is about Maldini not Baresi. You just wanted to stick Baresi in there because Maldini somehow hurt you or u just hate him. Dont even know why you’re pitting the two of them against each other. Fanboy? Heck yea for both him and Baresi and Seedorf and Kaka and so on while we’re at it. If you prefer the current management over Maldini just say so, leave Baresi out of this. But this says more about your hatred for Maldini more than anything. I don’t even know why a Milan wouldn’t support past players in their pursuit to better the club. You prefer to align yourself with outsiders, then you do you.
Unless, and this is a longshot, you’re upset that people attach the il Capitano moniker to Maldini and not Baresi 🤔🤷♂️
“Hold a candle” maybe too strong so I’ll admit that but u know exactly what I mean. U don’t have to sideswipe Maldini on account of Baresi..somehow this give me Curva Sud vibes
“With all due respect to Baresi, he can’t hold a candle to what Maldini means to Milan.”
I’m not really sure what to make of this.
Both Maldini and Baresi are inside the top 3 of the greatest defenders ever according to most lists up there. Maldini is generally regarded as the greatest LB ever and Baresi is the greatest CB or SW after Beckenbauer.
Baresi captained Milan from 1982 till his retirment in 1997 and stayed in the club despite several offers while Milan was in serie B. And it was at a time when Milan had 10 scudetti and 2 UCLs so not the European powerhouse it will later become.
Both Maldini and Baresi were pillars to Sacchi’s immortals and Capello’s invincibles.
I don’t really understand why people try to pit them against one another. Both are some of the greatest club legends.
Yeah, it’s a stupid comparison to make. Both are absolutely world class and some of the best defenders ever. There should not be any trying to compare the one as a put-down of the other.
Yes that came out wrong. See above
“With all due respect to Baresi, he can’t hold a candle to what Maldini means to Milan.”
🤦♂️
Yea.my bad. Way too strong
Emotion got the better of me
Don’t try to back track now.
When it comes to Milan and the captaincy the player associated with that is Baresi. If you haven’t watched Baresi or not old enough than dont post ignorant comments.
Your comment was ignorant and disrespectful. You talked about Baresi like he was Calabria.
Just because you didn’t watch him play doesn’t mean that he wasn’t better player than Maldini or a better captain.
Maldini last name carry importance at Milan, not just because of Paolo, but because of his father who also was a great Milam defender and a captain.
But this isn’t your first time making ignorant statement. Just like when you said that Desailly made his name at Chelsea, when you were trying to call out Moncada for saying that he started watching Milan because they had many French players.
I told you before, when it comes to subject pertaining to Paolo, you get triggered and write nonsense.
Grown man admiting that he is a fanboy 😆. Hey at least you own it, but that’s why you always get triggered when Paolo is brought up.
You guys are weirdos. What’s wrong with being a fanboy of ….players of the club…that you’re a fan of??? Lol 😂 wait what?? Huh???
Btw stop twisting people’s words here like you always do. I said Desailly was *probably* the only french “legend” at Milan that I can recall clearly but he also made a name at Chelsea seeing as he also played there ( and it’s not a stretch to say he might have been a bigger legend there than with us. Chelsea fans view him very fondly, probably more fondly than we do him). I said “in context of all the French players he’s probably the only legend we had here. Of the French contingent.” This is in regard to Moncada’s “many Frenchmen in the team” comment. The real point was we probably only had one or two Frenchmen at the time Moncada was talking about (why dont u guys check him for that?) not a large contingent he’s making it out to be. Nice try but u guys need to contextualize better.
Similarly, u read that I watched Milan from late 80s and conclude that I’ve never seen Baresi play 🤷♂️. I don’t understand why u guys do that.
Again, never said Baresi was a better player or captain. But Paolo is more known and associated with Milan than he is, especially to anyone outside of our and largely on his own merit, not his father’s. And you’re talking about disrespect. Your first reply to Ted insinuated the moniker of il Capitano belonged only to Baresi and not Maldini, and that’s just plain disrespect.
At least Maldini won the Scudetto while managing the club.
You said it all
Legend and if anyone at the present club achieves even half of what he has done they should praise themselves more than lucky. Unfortunately for us the fans it probably wont happen so suck it scaroni and know your place.
I would sack the entire backroom staff – scaroni, furlani, cardinale, moneyball moncada and the rest …..
to have Maldini & Massara back.
He possesses more character in his pinky that the rest do combined. They are destroying Milan! For $$$.
Scaroni is a corrupt businessman. That never changed.
Paolo found football players that fit Milan’s team, mentality and passion. He had a vision.
Moneyball Moncada vision is to buy low, sell high. He’s a player broker. He doesn’t care about the team, it’s all about the profits. Again, they have already begin destroying Milan from the inside with their greed and lack of knowledge.
Reijnders wouldn’t even be a backup in our Serie A winning midfield. Neither would Musah or Adli. Why?
Given that Redbird/Cardinale have only had one summer in charge of the club, I’m still reserving judgment will probably do so for a few seasons yet. This project is still in its infancy, and there is also the stadium, which if built will be a massive accomplishment that even Berlusconi couldn’t do. It’s impossible to judge ownership without a proper track record, regardless of the episode with Maldini, but I really do dislike Scaroni. He’s not a football man, he a business man. As such he should shut his mouth and stick to the commercial side of things, which is what he’s there for.
Isn’t it 2 full years since Redbird/Cardinale took over?? 😉
In practice though you are right – but this only proves Maldini right: Cardinale (and the rest of the current management team) was NOT in the same “team” as Maldini. Never wanted him, never gave him a fair chance, they mostly tried to make sure he (somehow) “fails” – so that they fire him.
Regarding Scaroni, Maldini was quite descriptive and factual about him in that interview, it must have been hard to get exposed like that.
Scaroni is a fking clown
The clown knows that they messed up on that one. Hired a mercenary to fill the legend’s shoes, with even less experience nevertheless.
Mic drop by Maldini LOLOLO.
When will this old, fat, bug-eyed ba$tard Scaroni just STFU?? MOVE ON old man.
Collect your fat paycheck for doing absolutely zero to help the club and stop trying to bash a man that has always conducted himself with class when it comes to our colors and is one of the most well respected people in the world of football – a gentleman’s gentleman as they say. This has nothing to do with Maldini as a player or director – some will love and others will criticize. That’s fine. But why is he continuously trying to bash the man?? for what reason?? Because Maldini told the truth?? LOL. Sad and shameful Redbird allows this fat clown to represent our club. Sad.
Mic drop by Maldini 😀
Yeah i think scaronis comment was uncalled for and maldinis response was well deserved and also leaves the question of how bitter the current management, scaroni included must be.
They should at the very minimum concentrate on their own maladies than messing with the biggest club legend in the history of the club.
Exactly. Talk about who keeps on looking back at/talking about the past and that is that fat fraud Scaroni. Gross
Maldini or Baresi! They are both important men to Milan. Both answers can be true. It’s perspective and opinion. Skewed by facts. With Maldini coming back and getting Milan winning again arguably he has personal relationships with all the men but the new additions.
Yes he wont stop smilling coz he bought milan as seri A champion since 2011. Hahahaha ( smilling )
Both Baresi and Maldini are greats in different terms. They served well and should look back and smile everyday and twice on Sunday. Why compare the two. This scaroni clown lacks class and acts in bad faith. Where’s selfless people like Abramovich to awaken this sleeping lion that is Milan. At least Maldini was fired trying.
What idiocy is scaroni speaking about?
He is not fit at his current position let alone speaking hypothetically how Maldini might be feeling!
Ridiculous person!
Maldini has all the reasons to smile as he won everything at milan!
We need a pro italian management with likes of sacchi baresi capello and more.