Daniel Maldini, son of Italian football legend Paolo Maldini, has reportedly had his driving license suspended after allegedly failing a breathalyser test following a car crash in Milan.
Maldini, 24, was involved in the incident around 5:15 a.m. on Sunday morning, just hours after scoring the winning goal for Cagliari in their 2-1 victory over Atalanta on Saturday night. He was driving his Porsche Carrera when it collided with another vehicle.
Milan City Police confirmed to BBC Sport that Maldini was involved in a road traffic accident and that his driving license was confiscated after a positive breathalyser result. Initial reports indicated a blood alcohol level of 0.91 grams per liter, with a subsequent reading of 0.89 grams per liter, both exceeding Italy's legal limit of 0.5 grams per liter.
Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport also reported that Maldini failed a preliminary drugs test, though these results were stated to require confirmation through further hospital toxicology tests. However, Maldini and his club, Cagliari, have vehemently denied the drug accusations.
Cagliari Calcio released a statement Monday defending their player, stating, "All tests carried out returned negative results. The player will regularly join the squad this afternoon as the team resumes training ahead of their upcoming fixture." Maldini also took to Instagram to share the results of his toxicology tests, posting a screenshot to publicly clarify the situation.
The incident occurred after a notable performance for Maldini, who is on loan at Cagliari from Atalanta. It was his second goal in four league games this season, contributing to Cagliari's strong start and current fourth-place position in Serie A.
Maldini, who has represented Italy at youth levels and has six senior caps, previously played for AC Milan, Monza, and Atalanta before his loan spell. His father, Paolo Maldini, is an Italian football icon, and his grandfather, Cesare Maldini, was also a celebrated player and manager.