🎙️ INTERVIEW | Daniel Maldini speaks to Sky Sport

Rossoblù playmaker Daniel Maldini, who has scored four goals in his last four Serie A appearances and has been one of the standout performers during the opening part of the season, earning a return to the Italian national team, spoke exclusively to Sky Sport from the panoramic terrace of Palazzo Tirso in Cagliari. Here is what he had to say:

THE ROSSOBLÙ SHIRT
“What does wearing the Cagliari shirt mean to me? It has a new and special meaning for me. We got off to a good start straight away, we want to keep going like this and hopefully give even more. Of the goals I’ve scored in the Rossoblù shirt so far, I’d pick the one against Juventus as the most important. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to secure the three points, but it was a really good match.”

THE CLUB’S TRUST
“Monday’s game against Monza will be a special one. I played there and always felt very comfortable. Here in Cagliari, I’m starting to experience the same emotions I felt in Monza. I’ve found a great deal of trust here from the Club, the coaching staff and my teammates. I believe that’s the most important thing, what allows you to perform at your best on the pitch.”

HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COACH
“I knew the Coach’s story and what he had to go through as a child. The picture of him in a hospital bed wearing my dad’s shirt, as my father was one of his idols, is a really moving image. We talked about it once in his office. Being coached by him today feels like a circle coming full circle. We’ve built a wonderful relationship: we talk a lot, he helps me, and I’m genuinely happy to have him as my coach.”

THE MALDINI DYNASTY
“Walking into Coverciano and seeing pictures of my grandfather and my dad wearing the Azzurri shirt is an incredibly powerful emotion. I think wearing the national team shirt is every child’s dream, and it’s a source of great pride. What would my grandfather say about me today? I think he’d be very happy. I would have loved for him to see me play.”

THE AZZURRI AND COACH MANCINI
“I’m very happy to have become part of the national team group. Coach Mancini gives you an incredible sense of calm. Even when things aren’t going quite right, he knows how to put you at ease so that things can improve. It’s the same with Coach Pisacane: when a coach can make a player feel good, it automatically sets in motion a process that can lead to great things.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY
“My father, my mother and my brother are fundamental to me. They’re my strength and always have been, especially when things don’t go to plan, during the most difficult moments, as happened recently too. As for that incident, I’ll say that I made a stupid mistake and, rightly so, I’m facing the consequences. However, it wasn’t right that I should have to pay for things I hadn’t done. The truth is now known. In any case, that moment is behind me. We’ve moved on, my family stood by me, and that’s the most important thing.”

THE WORLD CUP DREAM
“I have a very close and special relationship with my mother. She often comes to visit me here in Cagliari and she likes the city. My father has always been something of a ‘superhero’ to me, although I’ve always experienced that in a fairly normal way. My childhood dreams? I’ve achieved them, but there are always new ones to push you further. I’d love to play in a World Cup with Italy. I think that’s every young player’s dream.”