Milan reunion for Maldini, Theo Hernandez and almost Rafael Leao

Milan reunion for Maldini, Theo Hernandez and almost Rafael Leao There was a special reunion between former Milan figures Paolo Maldini and Theo Hernandez today, with Rafael Leao adding his envy of the get-together. Some Rossoneri supporters will have seen the moment Maldini was sacked as technical director in June 2023 as a crossroads for the club, a moment when different paths were taken and it is a side still trying to rediscover that level. MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 14: Theo Hernandez of AC Milan celebrates with his team-mate Rafael Leao after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Venezia at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on September 14, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Maldini’s departure was also viewed as a catalyst for players to walk away, as Theo Hernandez never disguised that he felt Milan fundamentally lost something when the legend left. He followed suit to Al-Hilal in the summer of 2025 and continues to play for the Saudi club, but made a return to Italy during the break for international duty. Maldini and Theo Hernandez remember Milan past Theo Hernandez wears a Paolo Maldini shirt on Instagram “Respect and admiration, always,” was the message Theo Hernandez wrote when posting an image of himself having a reunion with Maldini. It wasn’t just the Rossoneri supporters who flooded the Instagram post with messages expressing love, regret and frustration. View this post on Instagram “I’m on my way,” replied Rafael Leao, who also left San Siro only a few months ago for a new adventure at Galatasaray. Zona Milan summed it up for many of the supporters who still follow Theo Hernandez : “A knife in my heart would’ve hurt less than this image.”