#TBT: THE FIRST WITHOUT PAOLO

"Football really is beautiful", Paolo Maldini said after Siena 1-2 AC Milan on 22 August 2009. 80 days earlier, the Rossoneri legend had said an emotional goodbye after a win in Florence, which saw the Club qualify for the Champions League the season after, when Leonardo became Coach.

From January 1985 to May 2009, Paolo had always been there. No matter who was at the helm, through thick and thin, resulting even in needing a knee operation at the end of the season. But he was always there. At the end of May 2009, the Club asked him to stay and play for one more year, But Paolo felt that his race was run. After having run many.

For Siena v AC Milan in August 2009, our back line was as follows: Zambrotta, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Jankulovski. No Paolo. There was Sandro, his teammate through many European and international nights. There was Thiago, who Paolo rated in the friendlies throughout pre-season. There was Janku, the Czech international for whom Maldini vacated the left-back position for a role in the heart of the defence. There was also Zambrotta, with whom Paolo had played during the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.

Without Paolo, a Pato brace brought all three points home from Siena. Concentration, smiles and applause that evening too, the same reactions that Milan's technical director still shows in the stands today, at every match of his AC Milan.

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