The former Georgian defender, now mayor of Tbilisi: “The Rossoneri have a duty to return to the Champions League. Today, I like Pulisic and Maignan.”
The passage of time has left just a few silver strands in his hair. Physically, however, he remains as tough as ever. On February 4, 2001, Kakhaber Kaladze made his debut with Milan. “I remember that game very well: we won 1-0 against Reggina with a goal from Leonardo, and I was very satisfied with my performance.” Twenty-five years later, we meet the former Georgian defender in a hotel in central Milan, chosen by Kakha as a base for a trip down memory lane. “But I come here often, it’s my second home. This city has given me so much. I arrived very young and when I left I was a man.” In between, there were ten seasons of memorable victories in the Rossoneri jersey, before moving to Genoa and then turning to politics. Today, Kaladze is mayor of Tbilisi, but he is always happy to take a peek at his old love.
Kakha, is it still your Milan?
“Obviously not, because Silvio Berlusconi is no longer there. And more generally, Italian soccer has changed completely. When I arrived, Serie A was the best league in Europe and there were world-class players not only at Milan, Inter, and Juve, but also at Parma, Fiorentina, Lazio, and Roma. Today, there is much less quality on a technical level.“
Well, you won the last Champions League in 2007 with a brace from Inzaghi, who was certainly not a prodigy of individual technique…
”Pippo was incredible. In training, we used to tease him because he couldn’t do ten keepie-uppies. But guys, he had something innate that made him a formidable striker.“
Who was the strongest player you had to mark?
”I don’t know, off the top of my head I’d say Ibrahimovic: Zlatan had extraordinary physical strength and in a derby we lost 2-1, he really made me suffer.”
Does it affect you to see Milan out of the Champions League today?
“How could it not? The last day of the group stage was spectacular, but at a certain point I said to myself: ‘Something is missing.’ And that something was Milan. Max Allegri is right when he says that returning to the Champions League is a must.”
Do you know that since May 31, you are no longer the only Georgian player to have won the Champions League?
“I know, I know. I was very happy for Kvaratskhelia, whom I know personally, also because his father played with me in Georgia. He’s a good guy, too shy, and a special player. And then, for now, I remain the only one to have lifted the Champions League twice (laughs, ed.).”
I am still the only Georgian to have won the Champions League twice
Kakhaber Kaladze
Let’s go back to Milan. Allegri has brought the Diavolo back to the top after last season’s eighth place finish: is this the beginning of a comeback?
“Many people forget that when I arrived in Milan, things weren’t going very well. The club hadn’t won for a couple of years and the league table was far from good. Ancelotti’s arrival on the bench later on was decisive. Today’s Milan is also coming off seasons without victories, but Allegri is doing a great job: he has brought back the right mentality and the Rossoneri are back to playing as a team, the first necessary step to winning.”
Critical observation: Ancelotti found a group of champions. Does Milan have great players today?
“As I said, the quality has declined in general, so it’s difficult to make comparisons. The secret of our success, however, was not only in the level of the players: my Milan was a family, we often went out to dinner and we were very close-knit. That made all the difference.“
Who do you like in today’s team?
”Pulisic has an eye for goal, then it’s easy to say Modric, despite his age, which is closer to mine than to that of many of his opponents (laughs, ed.). And I can’t forget Maignan, one of the best goalkeepers in the world.”
And Leao?
“I know he’s heavily criticized in Italy, but he’s very strong both physically and technically. I consider him a key player for a Milan team that wants to get back to winning ways, no ifs, no buts.”
Is there a new Kaladze in this Milan team?
“I’d say Pavlovic, because he’s left-footed and plays physically like me. He’s still young and needs to mature in some areas, but he’s on the right track.”
Speaking of great defenders, how did you feel 25 years ago when you found Paolo Maldini in the locker room?
“Let’s just say I had his poster in my room as a kid. When Shevchenko, who was with me at Dynamo Kiev, signed for Milan, I started bombarding him with questions about Paolo. But you know, until you’re on the outside, you don’t really realize it. When I arrived in Milan and met him, I understood why he was so great: he was a humble, exceptional person, even before being a phenomenal footballer. He taught me a lot.”
Since you’ve entered politics, you must have learned something from Berlusconi too…
“Of course. Let me tell you an anecdote: in 2008, there was a war in Georgia, a terrible situation. I went to Berlusconi, knowing the good relationship he had with Putin, and asked him if he could do something. He called him in front of me, and shortly after, peace was signed. For me, Silvio was not only a great president, entrepreneur, and politician. First and foremost, he was a great man.“
Is it true that you and your friend Shevchenko discussed the war in Ukraine?
”We talked about it several times. We experienced something similar in Georgia: war is a terrible thing. But the fundamental question for me is: where is all this leading us? I can’t find an answer.”
