Daniel Maldini: From Match-Winner to Police Investigation
Daniel Maldini’s weekend swung from glory to scandal in less than half a day.
On Saturday, the 24-year-old forward buried a decisive penalty to give Cagliari a precious 2-1 win away to Atalanta in Bergamo, a result that could yet prove pivotal in their battle for safety. By early Sunday morning, he was at the centre of a police investigation in Milan.
From match-winner to police case
At around 5:15 a.m. on Sunday, Maldini’s Porsche Carrera collided with another vehicle in Milan. The impact left six people with minor injuries, Maldini among them. All were taken for medical checks, and the Cagliari player was later discharged from hospital the same day.
The real damage, though, emerged once the police tests came in.
Local police sources told Reuters that officers carried out two breathalyser tests at the scene. The first showed a blood alcohol level of 0.91 grams per litre, the second 0.89. Italy’s legal limit is 0.5 grams per litre. Maldini was almost at double.
His driving licence was suspended on the spot following the positive result.
Alcohol confirmed, drugs ruled out
As procedure demands, Maldini also underwent a drug test. On Monday, Cagliari confirmed that this test had come back completely negative and stated that the player would rejoin training as normal as they prepare for their upcoming fixtures.
An Italian security source cited by Reuters stressed that the official toxicology results from the police process will take three to four days to be finalised, even though the club has already communicated the negative outcome of its own drug screening.
A rising name under a heavy shadow
The incident adds a jarring chapter to the career of a player long viewed as one of the promising names in Italian football. Maldini, who has previously turned out for Milan, Atalanta and Lazio before finding continuity at Cagliari, carries a surname that weighs heavily in the Italian game.
Son of Paolo Maldini, one of the greatest defenders the sport has seen and a symbol of Milan’s golden eras, Daniel has already collected six caps for Italy. Until this weekend, the conversation around him centred on development, legacy and potential.
Now, it is wrapped up in legal trouble, personal responsibility and the stark contrast between a cold dawn in Milan and a triumphant night in Bergamo.
