Maldini upset with Milan
Wednesday 27 May, 2009
Paolo Maldini, the legendary defender, is upset Milan decided not to condemn protests made against him at San Siro on Sunday.
The 40-year-old was making one final appearance in front of his home fans before retiring at the end of this season.
Instead of receiving a hero's send off, Maldini was greeted with a banner that read: “Thanks captain. On the pitch you were an undying champion but you had no respect for those who made you rich.”
A banner commemorating Franco Baresi was also unveiled, indicating the fans' belief that he and not Maldini is the club's favourite ever captain.
“I really don't know [why they ruined the party],” Maldini told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I have always been straight, following my ideals, respecting everybody.
“I have not frequented the areas where the fans go, but not because I'm a snob, for I always have to show something because of the surname I carry.
“I only wanted to be judged for what I did on the pitch. There are some who can see this as a form of respect towards the fans and the club.
“There are also others who can interpret this attitude as a discourtesy,” Maldini explained.
When asked to explain what has disappointed him the most, Maldini replied: “The club's silence. I didn't like the fact they chose not to take a position.
“There hasn't even been a comment. From the President down, not one director said a word. I may be an idealist, but I believe that a club like Milan should dissociate itself from certain events.”
Maldini himself responded very quickly to the protesters, telling the Italian Press: “I am proud not to be one of them.”
“It was an instinctive reaction, and so perhaps a mistake,” he said. “I was an injured man. I didn't have the possibility to think it through.
“It was a response to an action that had been premeditated for days, months and perhaps years. I am a man with feelings and weaknesses,” he concluded.
Maldini will call time on his career this weekend, having won 26 majors trophies in a career spanning a quarter of a century.
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