Boban claims Maldini could return one day: “Ready to give himself back to Milan” | OneFootball

Zvonimir Boban has suggested that the idea of his friend and former team-mate Paolo Maldini returning to AC Milan should not be ruled out.

Maldini was sacked alongside sporting director Ricky Massara at the end of the 2022-23 season, a decision which is still debated to this day. The ex-captain has chosen to stay quiet about his exit generally, though the story has been told by some others.

During the first part of a podcast with Andrea Longoni, Boban had spoken about the decision to sack Paolo Maldini and why it was handled in a ‘shameful’ way, something which fed into his concerns about the club’s American ownership.

Today, the second part of the interview was published on Longoni’s YouTube channel ‘Milan Hello’ and he was asked about whether he still talks to Maldini. Naturally, the topic of a potential return came up.

Do you ever speak with Maldini about what’s happening at Milan?

“We talk, yes. He suffers, I know he suffers. It’s hard. But obviously he always remains very, very attached to Milan, he was born as a true Milanista. I became there, you who were born there is a whole other thing and I realise this because I have been with Dinamo Zagreb since day one.

“Even though I love and respect Milan so much, the symbols and flags are different. Paolo feels all this, he has given his whole life for Milan. The other day I told him that in the end he has to be happy, at the end of the day, whether he comes back or not – who knows, he wouldn’t mind a little (smiles).

“The years come for everyone but he would still be quite fresh – he has completed his story at Milan. As a player we don’t talk about it, but now also as a director. And now people have recognised it but at the beginning it was a disaster. For him, for me, for everyone.”

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Were you already following me when I spoke about the possibility of a return with the Saudi Arabia?

“You weren’t that important at the time but I saw some videos… I don’t remember very well.”

Will Paolo return? It’s the fans’ dream…

“We talked before, he would always be ready to give himself back to Milan in the most absolute way as he always did as a player or as a manager. If it will happen I don’t know, I have no idea. I have no idea.

“Honestly if he had told me something like that I wouldn’t have revealed it to you here. But it doesn’t seem to me that there are any situations… now.”