Milan at crossroads after favourites Tonali and Maldini shown the door

Sandro Tonali

AC Milan fans have been hit with a painful double whammy after star midfielder Sandro Tonali was sold to Newcastle while they were still reeling from club icon Paolo Maldini’s sudden sacking.

Tonali was more than just a key man for Milan, he is a boyhood fan of the club considered a potential future captain who was the connection between the pitch and the San Siro stands.

He was also a player who had repeatedly said in the past that he wanted to become what the Italians call a ‘bandiera’, a symbol of the club like Maldini and Franco Baresi before him.

“I want to stay here as long as I can. If you ask me today I’d say for the rest of my career,” he said last winter.

“But it’s too early to make those sort of promises, desire isn’t the only thing that matters in our lives as footballers, there are a lot of other factors… you can’t make long-term predictions.”

The 23-year-old took a pay cut two years ago in order to stay at Milan following his deeply disappointing first season at the San Siro, on loan from Brescia.

It turned out to be a good decision for both him and Milan as he was crucial to them winning their first league title in over a decade in 2022 and re-establishing them as a force in Europe following a run to the semi-finals in the most recent Champions League.

A battering by local rivals Inter in the last four notwithstanding the mood at Milan remained optimistic, boosted by star attacker Rafael Leao extending his contract with the club until 2028.

But then technical director Maldini and his sporting director partner Frederic Massara, the pair who built the Scudetto-winning team, were dumped by Milan, sparking anger among fans and bewilderment among the players.

Bitter pill

Tonali’s departure is another