Paolo Maldini confirms Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants to continue playing and potentially sign a new contract with Milan ahead of today’s Derby della Madonnina against Inter.
It kicks off at 17.00 GMT, you can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the LIVEBLOG.
Liveblog: Serie A Week 24 Roma-Genoa, Inter-Milan and Fiorentina-Lazio
This is always a special fixture and Maldini as a defender played many of them throughout his career at San Siro.
“As a player, it was almost painful for me to prepare for the derby during the first years, but I had fun in the later seasons, regardless of the result. I won and lost no matter what I did, so I learned that superstition makes no difference,” Maldini told DAZN.
Franck Kessie is back after the Africa Cup of Nations and is again used in a more advanced trequartista role behind the striker, giving him a different dimension.
“Some players had a dip in their physical fitness, and with Ante Rebic injured, every player has different characteristics. Kessie brings a lot of balance and a few goals, the coach picks his starting XI also thinking about how changes off the bench can affect the game. If you put everyone on from the start, you won’t have any other solutions.”
Ibrahimovic is also out injured today, but Maldini essentially confirmed the 40-year-old Swede wants to continue his playing career next season and sign a new contract with Milan.
“Zlatan knows what he wants, he doesn’t fake anything, he knows what the possible agreement with Milan could be. If he doesn’t feel like continuing, he’ll be the first to say so,” explained the director.
“His idea is to continue. Zlatan will never be a burden on this team, but only a resource.”
Milan, Maldini: “Ibra è una risorsa, non un peso. Futuro? La sua volontà è continuare” https://t.co/1yEWLUcmmf
— TUTTOmercatoWEB (@TuttoMercatoWeb) February 5, 2022