FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Serie A - Salernitana v AC Milan - Stadio Arechi, Salerno, Italy - January 4, 2023 AC Milan technical director Paolo Maldini in the dugout before the match REUTERS/Ciro De Luca/File Photo
(Reuters) - AC Milan have parted ways with technical director and former playing great Paolo Maldini, the Serie A club said on Tuesday.
Maldini, 54, returned to the club nine years after his retirement from soccer and was promoted to the Rossoneri's technical director role in 2019, less than a year after he became the director of sporting strategy and development.
"AC Milan announce that Paolo Maldini concludes his role at the club, effective as of June 5, 2023," said a club statement.
"We thank him for his years of service in the role, contributing to the return to the Champions League and to winning the Scudetto in 2021/22."
The ex-Italy defender spent his 25-year playing career with Milan and was captain in their most successful era, winning five Champions Leagues, seven Serie A titles, four European Super Cups and a Club World Cup, before hanging up his boots at 41.
Maldini's stint as technical director saw Milan win the 2021-22 Serie A title, their first in over a decade, with players such as Rafael Leao, Theo Hernandez, Oliver Giroud, and Fikayo Tomori having joined the club.
According to Italian media, Maldini's exit is said to have shocked Milan's players.
"His day-to-day duties will be performed by a team working in close integration with the first team manager, ultimately reporting to the CEO," added the Milan statement.
Milan finished fourth in last season's league standings and reached the Champions League semi-finals, where they lost 3-0 on aggregate to Inter Milan.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Aadi Nair; Editing by Ken Ferris)
