MILAN – Paolo Maldini was recently interviewed by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher. Here is an extract of that interview from the Daily Mail website:

“I started at Milan when I was 10 and finished when I was 41. My father, Cesare, was captain, my kids are in the academy now. Milan is not just a team for me. It is part of my life. My family loves those colours. We built with other great players something unique. Training used to be a little bit crazy. Sacchi would work you hard, then work your mind. He would make you repeat the same things over and over, especially defenders. Every day we’d do the same thing. But if me, Baresi, Costacurta and Tassotti meet each other now, we can still play as we did in the 1990s. It is stuck in your mind. That was one of the secrets of our success. It helped the Milan legend to continue. That team played at that level (raises hand in air) for so long. I won my first Champions League in 1989 and I won my last one 18 years later.”

On the 2007 final against Liverpool: “In that final, we had everything to lose. Another defeat by Liverpool would have been a real tragedy. But you cannot choose your opponents. I hadn’t played for three months before. And it is funny – I don’t remember too much about that game. All I remember is lifting the cup.”

More from Maldini: “Van Basten? Right foot. Left foot. Heading, so strong, fast. He could score, he could pass the ball. He was the best. The way he played was timeless. He had to quit when he was 28. Surgery. Stupid surgery to the ankle. It was such a pity.”