Paolo Maldini calls out the AC Milan supporters

By: Bob | September 20th, 2007

Normally when you read about Serie A footballers talking about their supporters it is when they are issuing statements reminding the fans to temper their enthusiasm. The tell fans that they shouldn’t kill one another, they shouldn’t shower the pitch with flares and that throwing vespas from the upper tier is a no-no. Which is why it is surprising to read the comments of AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini today.

In fairly blunt language, Maldini has called on AC Milan’s Curva Sud to stop sitting on their hands and to bring passion to the San Siro once again.

“Like all my team mates, I’m very angry,” Maldini, 39, told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “After all we have given, done and won, we deserve better treatment.”

Asked why the fans were reacting in this way, Maldini said it was “difficult” to explain but that there were “economic reasons and power struggles”.

“Nowadays it feels like we’re playing away or at a neutral ground, never at home. It’s just not right and the team has had enough,” Maldini said.

Undoubtedly it is a tough balancing act in Serie A between trying to cut down on fan violence while not killing ~~rabbits~~ the atmosphere at games entirely. The fact that Maldini has brought it up either indicates the new enforcement in working or this is merely another calm before another storm in the Italian terraces.

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King Tom

Not a wise move Paulo old boy, although I think it's fair enough what you actually said. Fans need to get behind their team and I don't think a lot of them realise how much of an improvement it can make to their performance.
BC

Or maybe it´s related to the weekend´s tie. CL is fine, but fans buying season tickets might get pissed off if Milan seems to be giving up on the scudetto in September. If I were a rossonero I would be annoyed that Milan, current european champions, felt the need to rest the team and major stars before their very first, group stage, very far from decisive CL match. Resting kaká to play at home a Benfica team full of injuries, who played it´s main team on the weekend is not going to make fans proud of their team. Kaká rested the whole weekend before the game, Rui Costa 10 years older played the full match on the weekend. Not going to induce a lot of respect for Milan.
Gianfranco

Milan are known to be very respectful of past players, Marcel Desailly received a standing ovation in his return to San Siro. I am bit confused on Paolo's lashing out, I respect him A TON, but I just do not get it. They are the top attending club in Seria A, and drew a decent crowd for the game...as you said maybe the crackdown on Ultras is starting to show.
BC

They certainly applauded Rui Costa in that game, I would call that passion and respect.