The 39-year-old Maldini is set to retire from professional football at the end of the season after a glittering career lasting nearly a quarter-of-a-century.

A Milan squad without Maldini is almost unthinkable as the legendary defender made his debut for the club 23 years ago, way back in January 1985.

Some people believe that the loss of Maldini may take some getting used to, and the whole influence that he has on the club may lead to an adverse effect once he retires in the summer.

“For us defenders it will be a great responsibility to make sure that Milan doesn't feel the absence of the captain too much,” Nesta stated.

“In any case, I'm convinced that this group of players can still do well even after a great player like Maldini quits playing football.”

Maldini recently stated that he ho ... Read more »