AC Milan’s resurgent path has continued as they ticked off qualification for the Champions League last 16, and it is thanks to the work of Paolo Maldini.
Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial!
According to this morning’s edition of Tuttosport (via MilanNews), Milan feel like they are back where they belong after nine long years without Champions League knockout stage football. On Wednesday evening, thanks to the 4-0 win against Salzburg, the Rossoneri booked their pass for the round of 16 and on Monday it will be time for the draw.
The Rossoneri of course risk meeting some top teams, but the Milan squad are ambitious and are ready to give it a go against anyone. The work of Maldini must be praised, with the paper calling him ‘the architect of the Rossoneri renaissance’.
After several difficult seasons, the director – along with Ricky Massara, Geoffrey Moncada, Elliott Management and Stefano Pioli – is helping Milan slowly return to the top both in Italy and in Europe. In the Champions League the road is still long, but every year the growth and maturation of this team is visible.
Maldini’s work on the market has been almost faultless given the limited resources he has, bringing in players who are now becoming among the best in the world, such as Rafael Leao, Theo Hernandez and Sandro Tonali.
Paolo’s latest bet is Charles De Ketelaere, on whom he has no doubts that he will soon explode too. He also recognised the moment to bring in two experienced players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Simon Kjaer, and then Olivier Giroud last summer, so in short he has found the perfect balance.
