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Insight

Rising star: Daniel Maldini

The first in our new series, where we’ll be taking a closer look at the young players who should be on your radar

Dan Poole

Age: 19
Club: AC Milan
Nationality: Italian
Position: Attacking midfielder
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 13/0/0

That name seems familiar…

What, Daniel? Yeah, it’s pretty common.

No, the surname.

Ah right, yes – that’s because he’s part of royal lineage in football terms. His granddad, Cesare Maldini, was captain of AC Milan when they won their first ever European Cup in 1963. And Daniel’s dad, Paolo, won the same trophy five times with the same club and is now technical director for the Rossoneri.

So we’re looking at another defensive dynamo from the Maldini production line?

Well, Daniel made his Champions League debut for the club this week against Liverpool, which suggests he’ll get the chance to establish himself as a third-generation superstar. But unlike his paternal predecessors, it won’t be as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead. Fabio Capello, speaking on Italian TV, said, “I think Paolo Maldini was thrilled to see this match played by his son Daniel, who is the continuation of everything they have done as a family.” However, unlike his paternal predecessors, Daniel won’t be playing as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead.

Age: 19
Club: AC Milan
Nationality: Italian
Position: Attacking midfielder
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 13/0/0

That name seems familiar…

What, Daniel? Yeah, it’s pretty common.

No, the surname.

Ah right, yes – that’s because he’s part of royal lineage in football terms. His granddad, Cesare Maldini, was captain of AC Milan when they won their first ever European Cup in 1963. And Daniel’s dad, Paolo, won the same trophy five times with the same club and is now technical director for the Rossoneri.

So we’re looking at another defensive dynamo from the Maldini production line?

Well, Daniel made his Champions League debut for the club this week against Liverpool, which suggests he’ll get the chance to establish himself as a third-generation superstar. But unlike his paternal predecessors, it won’t be as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead. Fabio Capello, speaking on Italian TV, said, “I think Paolo Maldini was thrilled to see this match played by his son Daniel, who is the continuation of everything they have done as a family.” However, unlike his paternal predecessors, Daniel won’t be playing as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

That might help to reduce the pressure on him.

Still, he’d probably do well not to dwell on the fact that Cesare and Paolo spent a combined 37 seasons at AC Milan, amassing 1,314 appearances and 31 trophies between them. He does have one step up on his dad and granddad though: he was still only 19 on Wednesday when he made his European Cup debut. Paolo didn’t get going until he was 20 and Cesare had to wait until he was 23. But yes, playing in a different position does reduce the pressure brought on by direct comparisons.

Who shall we compare him to instead then?

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but in terms of the position, he is a mezza punta – one of the three behind the striker in Milan’s 4-2-3-1 set-up – so more Kaká than Pirlo.

Blimey, what was that about reducing pressure?

Sorry. Forza, Daniel.

Age: 19
Club: AC Milan
Nationality: Italian
Position: Attacking midfielder
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 13/0/0

That name seems familiar…

What, Daniel? Yeah, it’s pretty common.

No, the surname.

Ah right, yes – that’s because he’s part of royal lineage in football terms. His granddad, Cesare Maldini, was captain of AC Milan when they won their first ever European Cup in 1963. And Daniel’s dad, Paolo, won the same trophy five times with the same club and is now technical director for the Rossoneri.

So we’re looking at another defensive dynamo from the Maldini production line?

Well, Daniel made his Champions League debut for the club this week against Liverpool, which suggests he’ll get the chance to establish himself as a third-generation superstar. But unlike his paternal predecessors, it won’t be as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead. Fabio Capello, speaking on Italian TV, said, “I think Paolo Maldini was thrilled to see this match played by his son Daniel, who is the continuation of everything they have done as a family.” However, unlike his paternal predecessors, Daniel won’t be playing as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead.

Rising star: Daniel Maldini
Insight

Rising star: Daniel Maldini

The first in our new series, where we’ll be taking a closer look at the young players who should be on your radar

Dan Poole

Age: 19
Club: AC Milan
Nationality: Italian
Position: Attacking midfielder
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 13/0/0

That name seems familiar…

What, Daniel? Yeah, it’s pretty common.

No, the surname.

Ah right, yes – that’s because he’s part of royal lineage in football terms. His granddad, Cesare Maldini, was captain of AC Milan when they won their first ever European Cup in 1963. And Daniel’s dad, Paolo, won the same trophy five times with the same club and is now technical director for the Rossoneri.

So we’re looking at another defensive dynamo from the Maldini production line?

Well, Daniel made his Champions League debut for the club this week against Liverpool, which suggests he’ll get the chance to establish himself as a third-generation superstar. But unlike his paternal predecessors, it won’t be as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead. Fabio Capello, speaking on Italian TV, said, “I think Paolo Maldini was thrilled to see this match played by his son Daniel, who is the continuation of everything they have done as a family.” However, unlike his paternal predecessors, Daniel won’t be playing as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead.

Penalty Pedigree

Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.

Age: 19
Club: AC Milan
Nationality: Italian
Position: Attacking midfielder
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 13/0/0

That name seems familiar…

What, Daniel? Yeah, it’s pretty common.

No, the surname.

Ah right, yes – that’s because he’s part of royal lineage in football terms. His granddad, Cesare Maldini, was captain of AC Milan when they won their first ever European Cup in 1963. And Daniel’s dad, Paolo, won the same trophy five times with the same club and is now technical director for the Rossoneri.

So we’re looking at another defensive dynamo from the Maldini production line?

Well, Daniel made his Champions League debut for the club this week against Liverpool, which suggests he’ll get the chance to establish himself as a third-generation superstar. But unlike his paternal predecessors, it won’t be as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead. Fabio Capello, speaking on Italian TV, said, “I think Paolo Maldini was thrilled to see this match played by his son Daniel, who is the continuation of everything they have done as a family.” However, unlike his paternal predecessors, Daniel won’t be playing as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

That might help to reduce the pressure on him.

Still, he’d probably do well not to dwell on the fact that Cesare and Paolo spent a combined 37 seasons at AC Milan, amassing 1,314 appearances and 31 trophies between them. He does have one step up on his dad and granddad though: he was still only 19 on Wednesday when he made his European Cup debut. Paolo didn’t get going until he was 20 and Cesare had to wait until he was 23. But yes, playing in a different position does reduce the pressure brought on by direct comparisons.

Who shall we compare him to instead then?

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but in terms of the position, he is a mezza punta – one of the three behind the striker in Milan’s 4-2-3-1 set-up – so more Kaká than Pirlo.

Blimey, what was that about reducing pressure?

Sorry. Forza, Daniel.

Age: 19
Club: AC Milan
Nationality: Italian
Position: Attacking midfielder
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 13/0/0

That name seems familiar…

What, Daniel? Yeah, it’s pretty common.

No, the surname.

Ah right, yes – that’s because he’s part of royal lineage in football terms. His granddad, Cesare Maldini, was captain of AC Milan when they won their first ever European Cup in 1963. And Daniel’s dad, Paolo, won the same trophy five times with the same club and is now technical director for the Rossoneri.

So we’re looking at another defensive dynamo from the Maldini production line?

Well, Daniel made his Champions League debut for the club this week against Liverpool, which suggests he’ll get the chance to establish himself as a third-generation superstar. But unlike his paternal predecessors, it won’t be as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead. Fabio Capello, speaking on Italian TV, said, “I think Paolo Maldini was thrilled to see this match played by his son Daniel, who is the continuation of everything they have done as a family.” However, unlike his paternal predecessors, Daniel won’t be playing as a defender: while he did start out as one, he’s developed as a midfielder instead.

Penalty Pedigree

Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.

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