Milan retire Maldini jersey
Friday 28 January, 2005
After Diego Maradona and Gigi Riva, Milan have now announced that nobody will wear Paolo Maldini’s Number 3 jersey once he retires.
The Rossoneri captain has spent his entire club career at the San Siro and won every trophy available, so when he hangs up his boots, that shirt will be alongside them.
“Paolo will go on playing for many years to come,” assured Vice-President Adriano Galliani this evening. “He represents the history of this club and when he decides to stop, his shirt will be retired.”
Maldini, who marked the 20th anniversary of his Serie A debut this month, is not the first Milan star to be granted this honour, as his old teammate Franco Baresi’s Number 6 jersey was also retired.
It is becoming something of a trend in Serie A, with Napoli retiring Diego Armando Maradona's Number 10 and Cagliari putting aside Gigi Riva's 11 shirt.
“It is very satisfying and I did secretly hope for this gesture, because I think I gave a great deal to this team over the years,” said the captain. “The club has always been kind and respectful, which is a rare thing indeed in this business.”
The press conference was called due to a new DVD out in Italian shops looking back at Maldini’s career and an interview with the man himself.
“I opened up here even if I am a very reserved person,” he explained. “I consider myself a normal guy and the respect I have from others is the best aspect of my career.”
Maldini also looked at the current situation, as the return of Jaap Stam has pushed him out to a more demanding left-back position and seemingly damaged Milan’s defensive set-up.
“I am a central defender and Carlo Ancelotti knows that full well,” warned the 37-year-old. “He also knows I would never refuse to help the team and I did play as a left-back for many years. Such a great player as Stam can never damage a team and our overall approach remains the same.”
Meanwhile, there is some good news for Milan, as Pippo Inzaghi’s injury is not as bad as at first feared. The striker underwent surgery for a fractured metacarpal bone in his right hand and reports suggest he’ll return earlier than the predicted two to three weeks.
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