AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini is convinced owner Gerry Cardinale had long wanted to sack him and fellow director Ricky Massara.

Maldini has broken his silence on his firing at the end of last season.

On Cardinale, he told La Repubblica: "In a year with him, just one chat, plus 4 messages from him. He said we had to trust each other. I did it: how it went is known.

"I believe that the decision to fire us had been made months before and there were those who knew it.

"The contract, 2 years with the option to renew, was given to me on 30 June 2022 at 10pm: it was too unpopular to send us away after the Scudetto.

"(Cardinale wanted) to win the Champions League. I explained that a three-year plan was needed. From October to February I prepared it with Massara and a consultant friend of mine: 35 pages of sustainable strategy and the need for a leap in quality, sent to Gerry, two of his very close collaborators and the CEO (Giorgio) Furlani."