Maicon recalls Adriano’s dominance: “He was a beast, he even steamrolled Maldini”

Former Inter Milan right-back Maicon, who was part of the club’s treble-winning side from 2006 to 2010, recently shared some intriguing anecdotes about his time with the Nerazzurri, particularly focusing on his former teammate Adriano.

Speaking on a Brazilian podcast called Charla, Maicon painted a vivid picture of Adriano’s prowess on the field. He revealed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic held Adriano in high regard, and while discussing the striking partnerships at Inter, he mentioned the formidable duo of Crespo and Cruz. However, it was Adriano who truly stood out in Maicon’s recollections.

Maicon emphasized Adriano’s exceptional ability to take on world-class defenders single-handedly. He stated, “Adriano would face players like Kaladze and Maldini, and he’d beat them on his own. To get past Maldini, you can’t be just anyone. Adriano didn’t just get past him, he steamrolled over him!”

The Brazilian full-back also shared a memorable incident involving Jose Mourinho and a match against Juventus. Maicon recalled, “I remember we were with the national team, and Mourinho called me, asking about Adriano’s condition because he intended to play him against Juventus a few days later. Adriano and Ibra wreaked havoc on the Juventus defense. There was a defender, Legrottaglie… poor guy, I thought he wouldn’t sleep that night.”