Paolo Maldini

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Maldini: World Club Cup Is My World Cup

Milan captain Paolo Maldini is desperate to win next month’s FIFA World Club Cup and describes it as his version of the World Cup.

The World Club Cup, formerly known as the FIFA Club World Championship, is contested between the champion clubs from all of the continental confederations.

Milan qualified courtesy of their 2-1 European Champions League final victory over Liverpool last May, and go into the tournament as the hot favourites.

Maldini has won virtually every domestic, European and international club trophy on offer during a glittering 23-year career, however he sadly never won anything with the Italian national team and had already retired from the Azzurri when they won the World Cup last summer.

“I have no regrets about the World Cup in Germany as I had already been out of the reckoning for four years,” said the legend. “However the pain of defeat in 1990 and 1994 still burns inside of me.

“Now I think only about Milan and the World Club Cup. It is a unique competition and I want to win it at all costs having lost the last three editions of it that I played in.

“It is an opportunity that must not escape – it is the greatest club event out there.”

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Maldini: Milan Are My Second Family

Milan captain Paolo Maldini has described his club as being like a second family to him and reveals the secret behind his incredible longevity.

The 39-year-old is incredibly in his 23rd season with the Rossoneri, having made his debut for the club way back in January 1985.

One off the all-time legends of the game, Maldini's father Cesare also had a hugely successful time at the club as a player, and lifted the European Cup as captain at Wembley in 1963.

"AC Milan is like my second family, Maldini told FIFA.com. "My father was a player and captain on this team and I've followed in his footsteps.

"My son plays in one of the youth teams, although it's by no means certain that he'll become a footballer. For the Maldini family AC Milan means a great deal, and on a football level virtually everything."

Maldini is set to finally retire from football at the end of the season after making more than 600 appearances for the club and explains why he has been able to play for such a staggering length of time.

"One of the most important reasons is that I've played in a good team that has provided me the incentive to go on," said Maldini.

"As time goes by you gain experience. You perhaps lose something from a physical point of view but you improve tactically and mentally."

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Maldini: Ronaldo Is World Class

Paolo Maldini has described Ronaldo as world-class and says he will add something extra to the Milan team now he is fit again.

Ronaldo has yet to play this season due to injury, however he is now fully recovered and would have come on as a substitute on Sunday against Atalanta had the match not been abandoned after eight minutes.

“Ronaldo is a world-class player and as such when he's fit he gives the team that something extra in terms of technique and personality,” said Maldini.

“Let's hope he's back quickly to contribute. He has innate scoring awareness because he has a unique ability to transform every ball he touches into a scoring opportunity.”

Maldini only recently returned himself after a long spell on the sidelines and he admits that he has some way to go to reach peak fitness ahead of next month’s FIFA World Club Cup.

“My physical condition is not ideal because I still feel pain due to long months of inactivity,” explained the 39-year-old legend.

“I need to play a few matches if I am to arrive in Japan at my best. Ronaldo is in the same condition as me.”

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Maldini's AC Milan wake-up call

Milan veteran Paolo Maldini calls for the Rossoneri to spark a revival against Cagliari and relives events in Bergamo last weekend.

The European champions have endured a nightmare start to the campaign and are languishing in mid-table, rendering the trip to Cagliari a must-win.

“We want to prove ourselves so badly and we are going there desperate to win as these matches are crucial,” Maldini told the Milan Channel.

“I think results will depend a lot on the start of the game as has happened for us a lot this season.”

After the Stadio Sant’Elia encounter, Milan have the daunting prospect of hosting Juventus.

“It’s great because there’s such a great rivalry between the two clubs and Serie A isn’t the same without Juve,” the famous stopper declared. “I think it’ll be a great spectacle.”

Milan will try and put the shocking scenes during their abandoned game with Atalanta to the back of their minds, but Maldini won’t forget the day in a hurry.

“I think one of the most striking images was the sight of children in the stadium who could understand what was going on,” he recalled.

“The fans called out to me and told me that they didn’t want us to play. I told them that it wasn’t up to us players, but I told the referee that the situation was very delicate.”

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ON TOP OF THE WORLD

"After the break we are facing the most intense phase of the season both for qualification to the Champions League and the Club World Cup. This Cup for me represents a chance to settle the score."

MILANELLO - Here are the declarations made by Paolo Maldini to Milan Channel's microphones before today's training session:

What kind of trainings are you doing now there is the international break?

"These days will be useful to do some great physical and tactical training and also to get back some players."

Cagliari player Pasquale Foggia says his team will be very tough to beat against Milan...

"I think that for us a lot always depends on how we start games. It's very important to start games well. We really feel like showing what we can do because we want to start a more convincing cycle of games in the league and these games are fundamental to get points."

In the first game at San Siro, Milan will host Juventus again after two years.

"It's a nice thing because aside from the rivalry between us, a Serie A championship without Juventus isn't the same thing. I think it will be a nice game.

Then after the international break we will enter a decisive stage of the season both for qualification to the Champions League and the Club World Cup. This is an important engagement also because of the fatigue that the travel will cause to us, we will be in Japan for more than ten days. The closer the World Cup gets, the more we think about those two games, which have a huge significance for us. Our season still has two main objectives which are the league and the Champions League, even though the will to get back on top of the world is strong."

How do you consider the Japanese team Urawa Red Diamonds?

"Japanese teams usually have technically skilled players, they're aggressive but are not that physically strong. They have always modeled themselves after Brazilian players. I happened to face a Japanese team with the Italian national team once, and while they usually struggly to make it into the knockout stages, they generally don't lose big.

This World Cup will also give me the chance to settle the score as twice I've won the final but three times I've lost it."

As a father what do you think about the decision to ban fans making away trips, after the sad episodes of last Sunday?

"I think one of the most significant images of last Sunday was that of the children in the stadium at Bergamo who could not understand what was going on, and perhaps we did not understand it either. I think this is a problem that can be solved with determination and strong decisions."

You went to talk with the fans...

"Yes, they called me and told me they wanted the game to not go on. I told them it was not up to us players and we could not have the game suspended, we did not understand what had really happened. Then I spoke with the referee and we realised it was a serious situation, but in my opinion it's wrong to be 'hostages' of the fans both in sports and otherwise."

The Italian volleyball girls have obtained the qualification for the Peking Olympics...

"I'm happy for them because volleyball is a great sport and once again the talent of of Italian sports people was confirmed. Italy has a lot of teams on top of the world right now in various disciplines. I follow volleyball as much as I can, preferrably the women."

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Thanks Aga and LuNo

Forum about Paolo Maldini

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Maldini: AC Milan already preparing for Juventus

AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini is already looking forward to next month's big game against Juventus.

"It's great because there's such a great rivalry between the two clubs and Serie A isn't the same without Juve," the defender said. "I think it'll be a great spectacle."

Milan will try and put the shocking scenes during their abandoned game with Atalanta to the back of their minds, but Maldini won't forget the day in a hurry.

"I think one of the most striking images was the sight of children in the stadium who could understand what was going on," he recalled.

"The fans called out to me and told me that they didn't want us to play. I told them that it wasn't up to us players, but I told the referee that the situation was very delicate."

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Maldini says Milan will take Club World Cup seriously

MILAN, Nov 23 (Reuters) - European champions AC Milan are taking the Club World Cup seriously and the tournament comes at the perfect time in the season, captain Paolo Maldini said on Friday.

The event, which takes place in Japan and involves seven clubs from the continental federations around the globe, starts on Dec. 7 with the final on Dec. 16.

The competition has previously been widely criticised by the media, especially when it forced Manchester United to pull out of the FA Cup in 2000.

Under the current format, Milan will play only two matches but have had to move their final Champions League match against Celtic forward by a week to accommodate the tournament.

"We are very proud to participate in the Club World Cup. It is the first time we have played in this new format, which I believe is more difficult than before," Maldini told a news conference.

"The first time we went to play (this tournament) not understanding perfectly the importance of this Cup. We realised it only after having won it."

Milan have stuttered in Serie A this term but are poised to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League.

Maldini said the middle of the season was a good time to go to Japan where they will not play their first match, a semi-final against Iran's Sepahan, New Zealand's Waitakere United or Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds, until Dec. 13.

"At a physical level I believe the squad arrives in Japan at the best moment. Fortunately we will have the necessary time to adapt to the time zone and to the rhythm of Japanese life," he said.

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FIFA DAY AT MILANELLO

Twelve days from Milan's departure for the 'Fifa Club World Cup Japan 2007', at Milanello the press conference of the presentation was held. - THE DECLARATIONS OF LEONARDO, MALDINI, INZAGHI -

MILANELLO - Today at the Milanello sporting center a press conference was held to present the 'Fifa Club World Cup Japan 2007' to which Milan will take part between 7 and 16 December 2007 in Yokohama, Japan. The conference saw the participation of Leonardo, Paolo Maldini, Filippo Inzaghi, here is what they said:

LEONARDO:

"For Milan this world-class competition represents a lot. It's always been an important tournament because it elects the World Champion club. For our club, in the last few years, it's a truly prestigious objective because it allows the club itself and the players to position themselves on a platform of worldwide recognition.

All teams who are participating have a certain weight in the history of football. Boca Juniors and Milan are prestigious teams, they have the advantage of participating straight from the semi-finals, but there are several new rules and sometimes the unpredictable can happen and one of these teams can get knocked out.

There will be teams of great tradition like Milan and the South American teams.

I've been in Japan two years, and I know the Urawa Red Diamonds well, they'll have the advantage of playing at home, they are a step away from winning their league and I think we will find a team very motivated to take part in such a prestigious tournament. They have ten Japanese internationals in their squad and at the moment they are the most important team in Japan.

PAOLO MALDINI

"We are very proud to participate in the Club World Cup. It's the first time we play it with this new formula which I think is more difficult than the previous one. Fortunately we will have the chance the get used to the time difference and the rhythm of Japanese life.

On a physical level I think the team arrive in Japan at the best possible time.

Personally I remember the finals I've already played: the first time we went to play it without being fully aware of the importance of this Cup, we only realised it after we won. The last three, instead, still hurt. The first one, against San Paolo, we lost after having played at the same level as them. In the last two we went home with a sour taste because we were not inferior and we really wanted to do well."

INZAGHI:

"Personally I participated only once to this competition, against Boca Juniors. It didn't go well, but this time it will be nice to be in Japan to have the opportunity to play against several teams and that's why Milan positioned this Club World Cup in first place on their objectives after the successes of Athens and Montecarlo.

But we always tried to give our best in the league and the Champions League, where currently we are top of our group. We have been preparing for the Club World Cup trying to give our maximum in every game played until now, then when we'll arrive in Japan in December the objective will be to bring home this Cup which this group are still missing."

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Cagliari - Milan

GOALKEEPERS: Dida, Fiori, Kalac

DEFENDERS: Bonera, Cafu, Digao, Favalli, Maldini, Nesta, Oddo, Serginho

MIDFIELDERS: Ambrosini, Brocchi, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Pirlo

ATTACKERS: Aubameyang, Gilardino, Kakà, Inzaghi, Ronaldo

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Cagliari 1:2 AC Milan

Cagliari: Fortin; Ferri, Lopez (Bizera 74), Bianco, Agostini; Biondini, Conti, Parola; Foggia (Larrivey 87); Matri (Fini 66), Acquafresca

Milan: Dida; Oddo (Cafu 70), Nesta, Maldini, Serginho; Gattuso (Brocchi 79), Pirlo, Ambrosini (Bonera 58); Kakà; Ronaldo, Gilardino

Goals:

1-0, Acquafresca 4'

1-1, Gilardino 61'

1-2, Pirlo 85'

Ref: Dondarini

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Cagliari 1:2 AC Milan - match report

Milan fought back from a goal down with Andrea Pirlo's late winner on Ronaldo's debut after Kaka had seen his penalty saved.

Il Fenomeno had not played a competitive match since May, but was finally ready to lead the line, especially as Clarence Seedorf, Pippo Inzaghi, Kakha Kaladze and Marek Jankulovski were sidelined. Cagliari had their own debut, as Coach Nedo Sonetti took over from Marco Giampaolo. The Rossoneri were undefeated here in Serie A since a 1-0 result on October 18, 1998, although last season they were held to a 2-2 draw.

There was a minute's silence ahead of every game this weekend for Italian soldier Daniele Paladino, who was killed in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan.

It took less than four minutes for Cagliari to take the lead. Once again a corner kick proved disastrous for the Rossoneri defence, as Massimo Oddo lost sight of Robert Acquafresca and Nelson Dida failed to come out, so the Under-21 international turned in the header.

Paolo Maldini took matters into his own hands with a left-foot strike from distance that tested Marco Fortin, but the Sardinians threatened again when Pasquale Foggia's pass flashed across the face of goal with nobody able to get on the end of it.

Dida spilled a Foggia counter and Alberto Gilardino's glancing header from a corner caused concerns. Ronaldo turned between two defenders, but lost his footing and a defender came flying in with the tackle.

Gennaro Gattuso headed Kaka's cross into the path of Ronaldo, who was held back by Paolo Bianco. Kaka stepped up, but his penalty was saved by Fortin and on the follow-up Maldini struck the side-netting.

After the restart the Sardinians remained in control, as Bianco's glancing header whistled across the face of goal. Yet Ronaldo was unlucky not to equalise when he turned the ball on to the base of the upright with the inside of his right foot.

Serginho's angled drive was deflected inches past the far post, while Massimo Ambrosini went off injured, pushing Serginho further up the field.

Milan finally drew level with Gilardino's acrobatic finish, as he had to jump up and flick Serginho's deflected cross in off the outside of his right foot from six yards to avoid the goalkeeper's intervention.

Cagliari almost restored their advantage moments later, as Acquafresca ran down the right flank and squeezed his shot from the narrowest of angles past both Alessandro Nesta and Dida, but Daniele Bonera performed a decisive last-gasp goalline clearance.

Bianco risked an own goal as he anticipated Gilardino at the near post, but the resulting Andrea Pirlo corner came out to substitute Marcos Cafu for a sensational volley that skimmed the crossbar.

Dida smothered a Parola snapshot from the edge of the box, but Milan turned it all around five minutes from time with a Pirlo free kick. His right-foot effort swung over the wall and seemed to take Fortin by surprise, as it was relatively central.

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Benfica-Milan

Goalkeepers: Dida, Fiori, Kalac.

Defenders: Bonera, Cafu, Favalli, Kaladze, Maldini, Nesta, Oddo, Serginho, Simic.

Midfielders: Brocchi, Gattuso, Gourcuff, Kaka, Pirlo, Seedorf.

Attackers: Aubameyang, Gilardino, Ronaldo.