Paolo Maldini: AC Milan are 'not a Team Built to Win'

Legendary AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini says that his former club will struggle to succeed this season as they have no clear objective in mind.

The Rossoneri have enjoyed an encouraging start under Pippo Inzaghi, who replaced Clarence Seedorf in the summer, and have a number of new personnel among their playing ranks.

Maldini believes that Inzaghi has all the attributes to succeed in club management but with a lack of financial resources at his disposal, the former Italy captain doubts whether Milan can reclaim their place among Serie A's very best.

"Many things have changed. This Milan is a new group with a new coach," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"The reality is that they do not yet know what their real objective is certainly it is not the Scudetto, but I do think they can enter into contention for the Champions League places.

"The difference compared to my Milan? Simple different times and different investments. And these correspond with different results.

"It is an equation that is never wrong. Without money, management is complicated. The work in the transfer market says that the club has planned little. They should focus on a goal if it is to win [the title], then not enough was done. This is not a team built to win."

"If he [Inzaghi] has got to where he has, then it means that he is good. An apprenticeship is not necessary. I had several teammates who were already potential coaches. He was one of those who I thought would make it."

The sale of Mario Balotelli to Liverpool has divided opinion among the Milanese contingency, with former striker Christian Vieri dubbing the deal a "masterstroke" by the Rossoneri.

Maldini says that Balotelli has not yet fulfilled his promise.

However, Maldini is not so scathing in his assessment, admitting that it is up to the enigmatic striker whether he can fulfill his huge potential.

"His life is in his hands. But it cannot be said that his growth is yet completed," he added.

Maldini was strongly linked with returning to Milan earlier this year but rumours of him taking a role within club management have since gone cold.

"There was contact, then I have not really heard from anyone. If they call me, I would speak again, but I am not going to search them out," he said. "And it is not written anywhere that I must work at Milan. If I happen to, great, otherwise, okay."