Daniel Maldini went from Cagliari hero to the centre of a potentially career-changing scandal in a few hours.The son of Milan and Italy legend Paolo Maldini had just scored the winning penalty against Atalanta when his night took a dramatic turn. According to SportMediaset, Maldini was involved in a traffic accident in the early hours of Sunday and subsequently tested positive for both alcohol and drugs.##TWITTER_<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨Daniel Maldini tests positive for alcohol and drugs<br><br>Paolo Maldini’s son tested positive for both alcohol and drugs following the accident on Saturday night.<br><br>His driving licence has been revoked, while further toxicology tests are now expected.<a href="https://x.com/Corriere?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Corriere</a> <a href="https://t.co/FdkKu6vyh7">pic.twitter.com/FdkKu6vyh7</a></p>— Sleeper AC Milan (@SleeperACMilan) <a href="https://x.com/SleeperACMilan/status/2099398660408607024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>##Maldini was reportedly returning home after meeting friends when he failed to give way to a car approaching from his left. Six people were involved in the crash, with five taken to hospital. Maldini was among them but was released after a short stay. The more serious problems came after police testing.Two breathalyser tests reportedly recorded 0.91 and 0.89 milligrams of alcohol per litre, while a rapid drug test also returned a positive result. Maldini had his driving licence confiscated and was reported for driving under the influence of alcohol.The final picture, however, will depend on detailed toxicology tests carried out at the hospital. Those results are expected to determine what legal consequences he could face.##EDITORS_CHOICE##The timing could hardly be worse.Only hours earlier, Maldini had been Cagliari's hero, calmly converting the penalty that secured a precious victory over Atalanta. His recent performances had also started putting him back into the conversation around the Italy national team.Now, everything is uncertain.21.45: (1.22) Inter (6.50) Udinese (12.0)Cagliari could impose an internal disciplinary punishment, potentially including a significant fine, while the incident could also damage Daniel's hopes of earning another Italy call-up.And then there is the name he carries.For years, Daniel has tried to carve out his own identity beneath the enormous Maldini legacy. His father Paolo is one of the greatest defenders in football history, while his grandfather Cesare was also a celebrated player and coach. That family name brings enormous expectations – and enormous scrutiny.SERIE A – MATCHDAY 4FridayVenezia – Fiorentina 2-4 (1-2)/Adams 22, Hainaut 86 – Mastantuono 29,30,84, Pellegrino 66/SaturdayGenoa – Frosinone 1-1 (0-1)/Vasquez 50 – Kvernadze 14/Lazio – Milan 2-2 (2-0)/Cancellieri 10, Noslin 39 – Moreira 65, 67/Atalanta – Cagliari 1-2 (1-1)/Scamacca 41 – Mendy 19, Maldini 61 pen/SundayLecce – Monza 3-2 (3-1)/Coulibaly 3, 21, Gabriel 10 – Mangas 20, Zeballos 89/Napoli – Bologna 1-0 (0-0)/Lobotka 66/Sassuolo – Juventus 3-2 (0-0)/Esposito 65, Bowie 89, Adzic 90+4 – Zhegrova 82, 90+1/Monday19.30: (1.22) Como (6.25) Parma (14.0)19.30: (6.25) Torino (4.10) Roma (1.55)21.45: (1.22) Inter (6.50) Udinese (12.0)***odds are subject to change***##SOFASCORE_<iframe id="sofa-standings-embed-33-95836" src="https://widgets.sofascore.com/embed/tournament/33/season/95836/standings?widgetTitle=Serie+A&showCompetitionLogo=true&widgetTheme=light" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="width:100%!important; height:1123px!important;max-width:768px!important;"></iframe><div style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;text-align:left"> Standings provided by <a target="_blank" href="https://sofascore.com/">Sofascore</a> </div>##