Desailly: Bastoni ‘isn’t even half of Maldini’ but can bring Barcelona to ‘different level’

Desailly: Bastoni ‘isn’t even half of Maldini’ but can bring Barcelona to ‘different level’

Former Milan star Marcel Desailly feels Alessandro Bastoni could bring Barcelona to a ‘different level’, but the Inter defender ‘isn’t even half of Paolo Maldini.’

Ex-Milan and France defender Desailly spoke to the Italian Football Podcast about two under-fire Serie A stars in recent weeks: Inter’s Bastoni and Milan’s Rafael Leao.

Bastoni has received criticism from fans and media alike in recent months. The Inter star was first involved in a huge controversy during a Serie A match against Juventus in February, when he caused and celebrated a red card for Pierre Kalulu.

A few weeks later, he received a straight red card in Italy’s World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which proved to be a big turning point in the Azzurri’s loss on penalties.

“I think he has been consistent, I think he’s been at Inter for like seven seasons and doing well no matter who the coach is,” Desailly said.

“I don’t think he’s a top international leader, but as you said, he is a player who knows how to adapt to the system. This is his limit.

“He has helped Inter to probably win the league this season by his consistency and understanding of how to read the game. But I think the limit is there, international level, this is it. They don’t play the same system.

Desailly on Bastoni transfer: Barcelona ‘weak at the back’

MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 22: Laureus World Academy Member Marcel Desailly during the EURO 2024 Press Conference prior to the Laureus World Sports Awards Madrid 2024 at the Palacio de Cibeles on April 22, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Borja B. Hojas/Getty Images for Laureus)

“He managed to adapt himself again with Gattuso. He is on the left side, if you want to compare him to Maldini, but he isn’t even half of Maldini. But he is who he is.”

Several sources claim that Bastoni, who is under contract with Inter until 2028, is keen to join Barcelona in the summer, and Desailly believes that both the defender and Barça would benefit from such a move.

“Yes I mean it is a good experience to match your level. Same as Leao, I don’t know his winning mentality. He is a defender, he isn’t a creative player,” said Desailly, a 1998 France World Cup winner.

“But maybe he can lift the level to understand and adapt to Barcelona’s level where they are in need of a strong defensive attitude.

FLORENCE, ITALY – OCTOBER 08: Alessandro Bastoni of Italy looks on prior to the Italy training session at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on October 08, 2024 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

“You can see Barcelona, in each position they are just amazing, but they are weak at the back, and that is why they don’t win the Champions League.

“So he could be that player that brings that consistency and that strength on the defensive block to bring Barcelona to another level. Because they definitely need defensive leaders in the squad.”

Milan star Rafael Leao hasn’t scored a goal since March 1, and Gazzetta dello Sport recently argued that the Portuguese winger and the Rossoneri should part ways at the end of the season.

“You said it, you cannot criticise him, because the day you criticise him, he will produce magic on the pitch. And you are stuck, and you don’t know what to say anymore. In five seconds, he will crash out all the negativity you put on him,” argued Desailly.

“But we know 100% that he doesn’t have the consistency. And he isn’t on his own a leader for a full season like Messi was, and Neymar was.

“He doesn’t have that consistency. He is an important player for the team, but he can never be the main man throughout the season. He can be the main man once in a while because he will be on and off.

“And he looks like he has reached the maximum level he can produce. I can’t criticise him because he is earning a lot of money and plays for Milan and the Portuguese national team.

“But I think that he thinks he is everything. He isn’t mentally ready to study where he can improve physically, because he potentially cannot give more physically,” continued the ex-Milan defender.

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 11: Rafael Leao of AC Milan is hugged by Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of AC Milan, after being substituted during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Udinese Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 11, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“Then maybe he can potentially study how to change his diet, training or whatever to have that consistency. He is a bit of a problem in a system because he doesn’t track back. He’ll push forward but when the action is finished, he stops.

“It means he doesn’t have the legs to get back into position. So, there must be a physical and mental approach that could eventually bring him to the level of, because he could be Ballon d’Or.

“But does he really want it? Is his entourage smart enough to be able to tell him, ‘Look, what you’ve done is great, but to get to the next level, you will need to adjust certain things.’

“Because for now this is the maximum we can expect from Leao.”