Daniel Maldini has given Cagliari three decisive moments in three Serie A rounds, and the latest one at Udinese carried the weight of an unusually difficult week. His goal sealed another away win for Fabio Pisacane’s side, while the club and player continued to deal with the consequences of a car accident and the scrutiny that followed.
The decision
Maldini’s response has been made on the pitch. After scoring against Lecce on 7 September, ending a scoring wait that had lasted since April, he converted a penalty to beat former club Atalanta in Bergamo. He then struck again in Udine, making it three match-winning goals in successive league fixtures.
The period between the victories in Bergamo and Udine was far from straightforward. Following the Atalanta match, Maldini attended a celebration with friends in Milan which ended in a road accident. His alcohol level was above 0.5 and his driving licence was withdrawn. Initial screening tests also returned positive results for drugs, prompting intense public criticism.
Further tests taken in Cagliari were negative. Maldini returned to training, with Pisacane offering his confidence when the squad reconvened. Cagliari, backed publicly by president Tommaso Giulini, chose to support the player despite the reaction around the incident.
The Italy call-up added another turn to the week. Roberto Mancini included Maldini in the national-team group; the forward already has six appearances for the Azzurri. There was still uncertainty before the trip to Udine, as he was suffering discomfort in his leg after the crash. Pisacane asked him to play through it, and Maldini answered with the winning goal.
It came from a loose defensive situation, but Maldini was the player who attacked the back-pass with conviction. He went around the goalkeeper and finished calmly, delivering a result that has reinforced his standing within a side where he increasingly feels central to the attacking unit.
Sunday’s picture
Cagliari have now won four of their opening five Serie A matches, their strongest start since the Scudetto era of Gigi Riva. There is no need for comparisons across such different generations, but the numbers explain the renewed mood around the island during the international break.
The victory at Udinese was Cagliari’s third consecutive league win and their third success from three away matches this season. Pisacane’s team have found momentum despite a series of off-field difficulties, including the Esposito situation, the near-tragedy involving Trepy and Felici’s recent serious injury.
Maldini’s form has become part of that wider resilience. His errors off the field have not been ignored, but his subsequent conduct, the negative follow-up tests and his return to training have allowed the footballing conversation to resume. For Cagliari, a player once searching for continuity is now delivering points. For Maldini, the next challenge is to make this run of decisive afternoons feel less like a weekly upheaval and more like the level he can sustain.
