AC Milan will be hoping that the return of club legend Paolo Maldini will bring the glory days back to the San Siro.
There was a time not too long ago when not only was Serie A much more competitive, but the top Italian teams were some the most feared in European soccer. The likes of Inter Milan, AC Milan, Roma, and Lazio were all the types of teams that English, Spanish, and German sides wanted to avoid in the Champions League and UEFA Cup, now known as the Europa League.
That isn't really the case any longer. Juventus currently has a stranglehold on Serie A, winning the last seven league titles. AC Milan is desperate to change that though, and the club's attempts last season by signing $225 million failed miserably as it only managed to finish sixth. This time around it is taking a different approach and bringing back retired players who made Milan the European force it used to be.
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One of Milan's greatest ever players was unquestionably Paolo Maldini. The Italian defender played for the Rossoneri for all 24 years of his career, and at 50 years old he has finally returned, as reported by Sky Sports. Maldini is now the club's sporting strategy and development director, and higher-ups at the club believe his appointment is key to the long-term success of AC Milan.
Maldini's resume as a player for Milan is pretty incredible, and it's pretty clear that he has a winning mentality. During his career, Maldini made an incredible 902 appearances for Milan across all competitions. While there, he won Serie A seven times and the Champions League an amazing five times. The only player to have won more is Paco Gento who won the European Cup six times, all with Real Madrid.
As you can tell from above, if anyone knows a thing or two about winning in Italy it's Paolo Maldini. The league and its players may be very different from when he retired and left the club nine years ago, but his presence at the San Siro will almost certainly give the side a boost. Perhaps Maldini can help Milan turn back the clock and actually give Juventus a run for its money this season.