By Ihuoma Inyama
Cagliari forward Daniel Maldini is facing further scrutiny after reportedly testing positive for drugs in a preliminary test following a car accident in Milan on Sunday morning.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the 24-year-old Italy international failed a breathalyser test after the crash and also returned a positive result in an initial drug screening. A full toxicology test is now awaited to determine whether drugs were present in his system.
Maldini was involved in the accident hours after scoring the winning goal in Cagliari’s 2-1 victory over Atalanta. He was driving a Porsche Carrera with three other people when it reportedly collided with a Volkswagen Golf carrying a man and a woman.
Police and emergency services attended the scene, where Maldini recorded alcohol levels of 0.91mg/l and 0.89mg/l in two separate breathalyser tests. Both results were above Italy’s legal limit of 0.5mg/l.
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His driving licence was subsequently confiscated.
The reported preliminary drug test adds another complication to the incident, although Maldini has not been confirmed to have been under the influence of drugs. The hospital’s full toxicology results are expected to provide further clarity.
Fortunately, nobody involved in the crash was injured. Maldini was discharged from Fatebenefratelli Hospital later on Sunday and returned home.
Cagliari had granted the forward a day off following their away victory and he was scheduled to return to training. The club has not yet announced any disciplinary action and Maldini is expected to return to Sardinia.
The incident comes at a difficult time for the son of Italy and AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini, with attention now focused on the outcome of the toxicology tests.