On Sunday, the captain took his leave of AC Milan, Paolo Maldini, in his 901 Game for the Rossoneri from his audience and his stadium. Maldini was for his club eight times in the finals of the European Cup and the UEFA Champions League five times, he could lift the most important trophy in European football in the air. Seven Italian championships, five European Supercup. two World Cups, five Italian Super Cup and a Cup victory mark the 25 seasons that he lived with AC Milan. Much has changed since 1985, when he first aground once for the same team as his father Cesare Maldini Christian Klar and Brigitte Mohnhaupt were then sentenced, Bangemann will succeed Hans-Dietrich Genscher as Chairman of the FDP, the French secret service sunk the Greenpeace ship " Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbor and Sat 1 is the first time on the air. And Paolo Maldini is still playing football, next Sunday, the last time for the successor of Franco Baresi as captain.

It should have been a special day. At 30 degrees in the shade filled the San Siro stadium long before the game starts, gave away a special edition of the Panini sticker album with all 24 images Maldini, 70,000 white scarves Maldini worried before the game starts for a spine-tingling atmosphere, dozens of hand-painted banners bore witness to the importance of this player for a club, Maldini has won everything worth winning in European club football. The players of AS Roma entered with a T-shirt honoring the place of AC Milan with a new shirt for the 2009/2010 season, the first without the "il capitano", since I'm a fan. Everything was ready for a moving soccer game, a proper celebration for one of the few remaining football players from another time, another generation. Zanetti and Alex Del Piero had already expressed himself respectfully before the game, Roma icon Francesco Totti took him after the game in the arm. Sign of respect for Maldini, who has his 10th Age plays for Milan - from opposing supporters, sporting rivals, referees and journalists. Never was heard a disparaging remark or an angry outburst against the enemy, no stories of disco visits or fun evenings with photo models, no clubs, no transfer speculation, no "Home Stories". Paolo Maldini was an exceptional athlete who is at 41 still one of the best defenders of Serie A, not gratuitously urged him coach and club owners to extend until the end, still a season.

A player that Milan has made history, paints a football player who has his life kept the faith and led the team in 24 years in 8 Champions-League/Landesmeisterpokal-Finals and 7 championships. Respect? Such a player would need in the era of modern football, where one team is for one player in each case only the springboard for the next higher prize money contract and keep the fans as the true guardians of color and tradition. Just those we have succeeded in ruining the farewell to Maldini. Even the fans of the much-hated city rivals Inter in the last derby Maldini honored with applause and a beautiful banner. Even the local Curva Sud, formerly the seat of the most loyal of the loyal tifosi, adopted its master striscioni with two:

"Per i tuoi 25 anni di gloriosa carriera sentiti ringraziamenti da coloro che hai definito mercenarie e pezzenti."
"Thank you for your great career 25 years from those who you called me and mercenary scoundrels."

"Grazie capitano: campione sul campo infinito, ma hai mancato di rispetto a chi ti ha arricchito!"
"Thank you captain. On the site inaccessible champion, but you lacked of respect for those who have made you rich. "

Respect? It is known that the relationship was of Maldini and Curva not just a quaint, but that the Curva it did not take, destroy such a player the festival, but sadly still true. There can also change nothing, that 70,000 fans standing applause donated after the game when he opened the door to the stadium round - one of 4 sides of the San Siro accompanied him with a huge Franco Baresi shirt with the number 6 and chants such as "Franco Baresi" or "There's only one captain." Neither the angry Carlo Ancelotti still be visible from alleged successor to the chair coach, Leonardo, Maldini could move to actually carry out the planned tribute on the pitch. He fled to the locker room.

Of course, Maldini was never as close as the tifosi, for example, Gattuso, Ambrosini, Inzaghi and Shevchenko, who returned. The "number 3" has always held back considerably when it came to an intimate relationship with the fans. It was certainly owed his influence that the players of AC Milan never came under the Team Pages, but have after victories than defeats, such as waving from the center circle. And their captain is certainly also met with a certain coldness. Maldini was the center of serious Fanproteste after a home defeat against Parma 1996th It was his first game as captain, Milan under the guidance of Fabio Capello is the hearted promises pre-season on a disappointing 10th Place. After a bad performance, the Curva turn - followed by the rest of the stadium - back to the playing field and begins after Parma's opening goal, smoke bombs and eggs thrown onto the pitch. There were also serious disagreements after the pathetic abgeschenkten Champions League final in Istanbul 2005th The Curva Sud accused the players who have left to go in the second half (at 3-0 lead) and identified as the captain in charge who had the team more concentration must call. Also not very elegant was his gesture, urging the fans to silence after the final whistle as they (despite the wretched game, the team was about 90 minutes) supports their justified anger at the ridiculous appearance of the team against Werder Bremen made known.

Nevertheless, the events were unworthy after the final whistle. In all the perceived differences we would have had to give this iconic AC Milan a fitting farewell, but unfortunately mindedness and bigotry have ruined this beautiful day. And so the legendary Paolo Maldini occurs as a by all, team-mates and opponents alike, respected soccer players with an exemplary career from - among the catcalls of "his" corner. And if someone like Maldini deserves no respect, even those who, then? Maldini, which even the north corner of Inter salute, Maldini, who has retired in 901 games in the battle never use the leg, Maldini, the most beautiful symbol of the past two and half decades of AC Milan. Yes, I do not expect any love, including me, other players are sympathetic, but the captain was too brittle and too close to the people - but respect?

Giancarlo Capelli, capo of the Curva Sud, explains the miserable spectacle like this:

"Non si trattava di una contestazione, era soltanto una precisazione fargli per capire come la pensavamo su alcune sue affermazioni comportamenti e negli anni passati. Nel giro di campo, poi, ci sono stati episodi non belli, ma in ogni caso non era una contestazione verso di lui.
"It was not Fanprotest, it was merely a clarification, to give him to understand how we are to some of his statements and behavior in recent years. At the stadium round, there were some less then good episodes, but in no case was this a Fanprotest. "

And I would have the Curva at any other day was also granted. On any day except the 24th May 2009. I too would have liked to see that Paolo would have been entitled from time to give fans a greeting under the curve, I was also furious at his finger held to his mouth after the inexcusable performance against Werder Bremen, nor do I think Maldini for an infallible man. But the little things are ridiculous in light of such an inimitable career of a player who has honored its colors than almost anyone else in the history of modern football.

"I am proud that none of them to be," he said after the game. And I can not blame him. Never again will a player at Milan, the number "3" carry on their jerseys - and it is almost impossible that will ever occur again a captain in his footsteps. The Curva has let a great opportunity to show size and humility, instead of poisoning with an unworthy "settlement" a big Fußballtag too. Many will remember when ultras spwielt demand respect for themselves and once again the self-induced off-side against the vast majority of other fans in the stadium just in the hands of those who want Ultrà anyway its withdrawal from the San Siro. Thanks for 25 incredible years, Paolo, you would have deserved better.

A few months ago already Maldini said this sentence:

"San Siro è stato magico semper: adesso stiamo perdendo questa magia."
San Siro was always a magical place. Now, we lose precisely this magic. "

Summary of events