AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan walked off the field
after being subjected to alleged racist chants by Udinese fans during a Serie A
game on Saturday - prompting the match to be suspended briefly during the first
half.
Shortly after Milan had scored to take a 1-0 lead and Milan
were about to take a goal kick, Maignan signalled to his team-mates to stop,
walked to the referee and then off the pitch.
Team-mates attempted to console Maignan on the touchline,
but then the 28-year-old France international took his gloves off and walked
down the tunnel and was followed by his team-mates.
Maignan had told the referee about monkey chants earlier
during the match, prompting an announcement in the Stadio Friuli asking fans to
stop.
"There is absolutely no place in our game for racism:
we are appalled," Milan said on X, formerly Twitter. "We are with
you, Mike."
Inter, leaders of Serie A, were quick to reply to the post
in support of their city rivals.
The Nerazzurri added on X: "We are brothers of the
world, against all forms of discrimination. By your side."
The official account of the league, @SerieA, added:
"The league condemns all forms of racism."
Play was able to resume after 10 minutes when Maignan and
his team-mates returned to the pitch.
Maignan was beaten three minutes later by a Lazar Samardzic
shot and the teams went in at half-time level at 1-1 after six minutes of
stoppage time.
The second half passed without further controversy, with
Milan winning the contest 3-2.
Substitute Florian Thauvin gave Udinese the lead but fellow
replacement Luka Jovic levelled with a close-range finish with eight minutes
remaining, before another second-half replacement - Noah Okafor - won it for
the visitors in added
time.
Udinese will likely be hit with a partial stadium closure
for its next home match.
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