By Joe McCurdy, CNN
(CNN) – AC Milan’s French goalkeeper Mike Maignan led his team out of the area on Saturday amid alleged racist chants directed at him by enthusiastic rivals at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, Italy.
The incident occurred during an Italian Serie A match against Udinese in the 33rd minute.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Maignan, 28, who is black, said he heard “monkey noises” and chants from the crowd as he took the ball for his first shot on purpose, and on the second goal. .
“They are ignorant people. . . You can get booed or whistled when you’re not home, that’s normal, but what happened today doesn’t matter in football,” Maignan said.
Maignan informed the referee Fabio Maresca, who halted the game, as Maignan walked off the pitch and down the players’ tunnel.
His Milan teammates joined him.
The match resumed less than 10 minutes later, and Milan would win a dramatic encounter 3-2 in the final minutes.
After the game, Milan supported Maignan with a message on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: “There is no place in our game for racism – we are appalled. We’re with you, Mike.
“The Lega Serie A condemns all racist bureaucracy,” the league posted on X.
Last week, fellow Serie A side Lazio was punished with a one-match stand closure after supporters directed racist chants at Romelu Lukaku during their team’s Italian Cup win over local rivals Roma.
The Italian football government could announce a sanction against Udinese in the coming days, after a review that would be accompanied by a review of the referee’s fitness report.
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