
Leonardo expresses his pain over Paolo Maldini's departure from Milan, stating that no algorithm can replace him. Milan is currently struggling for a Champions League spot after recent defeats.
Mentioned in this story
Leonardo: No algorithm can replace Maldini at Milan: âIt hurtsâ
Former Milan star and director Leonardo is âhurtâ that Paolo Maldini is no longer at Milan, insisting that the Rossoneri legend âcanât be replacedâ by an algorithm.
Milan find themselves fighting for a Champions League spot despite a brilliant start to the season.
Back-to-back defeats against Sassuolo and Atalanta have left the Rossoneri level on 67 points with Roma in the fourth spot with just two games remaining.
Fans are furious with CEO Giorgio Furlani, who was urged to leave the club before last nightâs 3-2 loss against Atalanta at San Siro.
MILAN, ITALY â SEPTEMBER 03: Paolo Maldini and Frederic Massara of AC Milan look on before the Serie A match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 03, 2022 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Maldini contributed to Milanâs title win in the 2021-22 campaign as one of the prominent directors, but was sacked one year later and hasnât yet taken on a new role at another club.
Leonardo believes that Maldini's unique contributions and legacy at Milan cannot be replicated by any algorithm.
Milan is level on points with Roma for the fourth Champions League spot, with only two games left in the season.
Back-to-back defeats against Sassuolo and Atalanta have put Milan's Champions League qualification at risk.

BNL and Mitchell baseball teams raise $7,000 during charity game
Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch states no negotiations with NFL on media rights are happening.

Beth Mead confirms departure from Arsenal after this season
Juventus' Allianz Stadium Welcomes ESSMA's Sustainability Cohort
2026 NBA Draft Order Set: Wizards Claim First Pick
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
âIf you have Paolo Maldini at Milan, I donât know what kind of algorithm could tell me itâs better not to have him,â Leonardo told Cronache di Spogliatoio via Calciomercato.com.
âIt doesnât just hurt me not to see him there; it hurts everyone. Paolo belongs in the world of football. I think there are no figures in todayâs game as complete as he is. He developed himself over time, becoming a top-level executive, successful at the club where he spent 30 years.â
Leonardo was a Milan director when he appointed Maldini in the summer of 2018.
âIâm sure Paolo still has a lot to offer. Today, there is a very political, very complex and archaic structure that sometimes even prevents this from happening,â Leonardo said.
âWhat is needed, beyond ideas, expertise, and desire, is someone who can inspire people and make them believe there is something beautiful worth chasing. Itâs difficult to find a figure capable of conveying that idea unanimously. I see very few people with those qualities, and Paolo, perhaps, is the only one.â
The Rossoneri have only earned 25 points in the second half of the campaign, the fewest in the last nine years.
âToo many clubs no longer rely on the option of a sporting director with real authority,â Leonardo continued.
âHe makes certain decisions within a broader working structure, but there is something very influential nowadays: algorithms. I have nothing against them, but I have always seen them as support for human decision-making, not something meant to replace it.â