Maldini enjoying the momentFriday, 23 February 2007As the wall of noise encircling Celtic Park reached a crescendo, there was no sign of tension on the face of the AC Milan captain; nor, for that matter, the 'focus' that sportsmen speak of so often these days. Instead Paolo Maldini responded with an appreciative nod as if acknowledging that here was a moment to savour.
Authority undiminishedFour months shy of his 39th birthday, Maldini knows he may not have many such moments left as age slowly unravels his athletic abilities. Yet anyone observing his 100th appearance in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday could see the on-field authority of this Italian football legend is undiminished. From the seventh minute, when he beat the towering Celtic FC striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink to a high ball before swiftly adjusting to intercept an attempted pass to Kenny Miller, to the 90th when he completed the Milan defence's last clearance of the night, Maldini was assuredness itself.
'Still a key player'As goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac said in praise of Maldini and his defensive colleagues: "Our defence was exceptional tonight, the way they dealt with the high balls and the danger of Vennegoor of Hesselink and the players running off him." True, Milan's slick and plentiful possession in midfield meant Celtic's forwards asked few serious questions of a visiting back line that had attracted criticism for leaking three goals against AC Siena just three days earlier. Yet Maldini, with over two decades of experience to draw upon, still offered enough evidence to support the assertion of Mauro Tassotti, Milan's assistant coach, that he remains "a key player for the team".
Tassotti praiseThe marauding left-back of his prime may be a distant memory – and some Italian observers will point to one or two fault lines in his recent performances – but Tassotti, a European champion alongside Maldini in 1989 and 1994, explained that his old colleague still had an important role in the Rossoneri squad. Speaking to uefa.com after the goalless draw in Glasgow that leaves Milan favourites to progress to the quarter-finals, Tassotti said: "Of course we can't ask him to play all the time – he can't manage a game every three days but if we give him time to prepare properly for a game he can still give a lot to the team."
Respect"He is a great player as everyone can see and also a special person," added Tassotti. "To be playing at this level at his age means you have something special inside." Goalkeeper Kalac underlined Maldini's importance in the Milan dressing room. "He has been around for so long and with a player of his stature, his presence rubs off on the other players," said the Australian. "He does not talk too much but when he says something, you listen. That speaks volumes for the respect he has from the other players."
Staying powerThe second-oldest outfield player left in the UEFA Champions League (behind team-mate Alessandro Costacurta), Maldini ascribes his staying power to several factors. "My incredible passion for the game, constant training, sacrifices and a bit of good luck too," he told uefa.com. A carefully controlled Mediterranean diet and a personal training programme developed with the help of the Milan Lab also help. "For the last few seasons I've followed a personal training programme in agreement with our coach Carlo Ancelotti, which I decide depending on my condition and how I feel," he explained.
FutureWhat of the future then? Maldini has made more Serie A appearances this season than he did throughout the whole of 2005/06 and according to Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani, he could still be playing in his 40th year next season - Galliani having stressed that the decision whether or not he continues lies exclusively with the player. Looking further ahead, it seems unlikely right now that Maldini would follow his father Cesare into football management, although a position working with his beloved Milan could beckon. He would be in good company there, given the presence of old colleagues Franco Baresi, Stefano Eranio, Alberigo Evani, Filippo Galli, Sebastiano Rossi and Giovanni Stroppa in the club's coaching ranks.
Eye on AthensFirst, though, there is the present and the goal of collecting a fifth European Champion Clubs' Cup winner's medal. "I think we have a good chance of going all the way to the final in Athens," he declared this week. Milan have scored only eight goals in seven matches in the competition but their defensive record augurs well, the Celtic tie bringing a fourth clean sheet. "Looking at our performance at Celtic, we are very confident for the return. We did not suffer, we played quite well and we will soon have players back from injury," added the veteran, whose efforts on his 100th appearance in the revamped competition have certainly helped put the last eight within the Rossoneri's reach.
uefa.com