Paolo Maldini reveals Gianluca Vialli “wanted to take me to Chelsea,” but he remained a one-club man at Milan.
The Italy legend spoke to Rai programme Sfide about his career and the path he didn’t take.
“Vialli called me and wanted to take me to Chelsea for an experience in England. I always thought my sporting life should be started, played and ended with the Rossoneri colours on my back.
Paolo Maldini reveals Gianluca Vialli “wanted to take me to Chelsea,” but he remained a one-club man at Milan.
The Italy legend spoke to Rai programme Sfide about his career and the path he didn’t take.
“Vialli called me and wanted to take me to Chelsea for an experience in England. I always thought my sporting life should be started, played and ended with the Rossoneri colours on my back.
“The greatest memory was the 2003 Champions League Final against Juventus. Almost exactly 40 years after my Dad lifted the trophy on English soil, I had done the same with silverware Milan hadn’t won for nine years. It was a super moment, the best of my career.”
Yet Maldini’s final match at San Siro proved to be an ugly memory, as a portion of the ultras protested him for criticising their attitude.
“I’ve never been close to that aspect of football and seeing what happened I’m really glad to have had nothing to do with them.
“My last game for Milan was in Florence on May 30 2009. The people there celebrated me as if I was a Fiorentina player. It was a wonderful end to my story.”