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Milan Ultras boo Maldini at his send off


plekhanov

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Maldini's San Siro farewell turns sour

 

By Mark Meadows

MILAN, May 24 (Reuters) - Paolo Maldini's final appearance at the San Siro was marred by AC Milan ultra fans unveiling a banner criticising their captain on Sunday.

His day was already ruined by Milan losing 3-2 to AS Roma and they must now avoid defeat at Fiorentina in Sunday's final game of the campaign to secure a berth in next season's Champions League group stages.

The 40-year-old Maldini, who will bid farewell to soccer in Florence after a 24-year career, took a lap of honour around the stadium after the match but not all the Rossoneri fans cheered.

"Thank you captain. On the field you were a never-ending champion but you lacked respect for those who made you rich," read one huge banner, which media reports said referred to a falling out between fans and the player in 2005.

Some supporters then began a chant of "there's only one captain" when another banner displaying the name and number of Franco Baresi was unfurled.

Former Milan captain Baresi passed the armband on to Maldini when he retired.

One-club man Maldini, who will make his 902nd Milan appearance against Fiorentina, shrugged off the protests.

"I'm proud I'm not one of them," he told reporters.

The rest of the Rossoneri fans waved special Maldini scarves while Roma players came back on the pitch at the end wearing T-shirts hailing the defender, who won a record 126 caps for Italy before quitting the international game in 2002.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said the banners had been "insignificant".

Milan owner and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, present at the stadium, was also jeered by home fans with uncertainty continuing over whether Ancelotti will stay at the club next season.

Ancelotti, strongly linked with Chelsea in the media, refused to discuss his future and said a Champions League group stage spot was the priority following their failure to qualify for this season's competition.

"There's no reason to talk about my future. There's still something to play for and we'll talk after the game in Florence," he said.

Just astonishing, this guy is an all time great, probably the greatest left back ever who's given 24 years to their team playing a big part in all it's success and they boo him. Now I know Ultras are assholes of the highest order who love nothing more than stabbing rival fans but booing and holding up insulting banners to someone who's given your club over 2 decades of impeccable service?

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Glad someone else noticed this... Absolute disgrace... 24 years of service to one club, managed to keep playing till he was 41, regarded the world over as one of the best defenders ever, never became a big-time Charlie, never a hint of scandal about him... The guy was unique, and those (few, I hope) scumbags on the Curva Sud need a time of quiet reflection... His last home game and they waited 4 years for such petty "revenge". They certainly got noticed, but they have tarnished the image of what is one of Europe's elite and classiest clubs. Just shameful.

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