But he knows he at least has the backing of senior players heading into the World Cup.
Veteran keeper and Paraguay captain Jose Luis Chilavert was one of the first moved to make a public declaration of his faith in the new manager.
Away from the training pitch, however, it appears the former AC Milan boss has few friends.
When he arrived in Paraguay in January, Maldini was not processed by immigration, and consequently was not issued with a work permit.
One month on, the country's managers' union became aware of this and seized on it as a means of trying to force him out of his position.
Expulsion
Union chairman Dario Nunez said: "I have presented a letter to the immigration directorate demanding Maldini's expulsion for entering on a tourist's visa.
"He has signed a six-month contract worth $750,000 to manage the team.
"But he has broken immigration law, which is why he has to go."
Since then, however, Maldini has managed to ride out the storm and, at the beginning of March, was finally presented with a work permit.
He is now clear to manage Paraguay in the World Cup but, if early results go against his side in South Korea, the tenure is likely to be a short one.
