Udinese starting XI (3-5-1-1): Okoye, Ferreira, Perez, Kristensen, Ebosele (subbed for Ehizibue), Lovric, Walace, Samardzic (subbed for Payero), Kamara (subbed for Zarraga), Pereyra (subbed for Thauvin), Lucca (subbed for Success)

Bench: Silvestri, Padelli, Masina, Tikvic, Camara, Brenner, Kabasele, Zemura, Giannetti

Goals: Samardzic 42’, Thauvin 62’

AC Milan starting XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan, Calabria (subbed for Florenzi), Kjaer, Gabbia, Hernandez, Rejinders (subbed for Okafor), Adli, Pulisic (subbed for Jovic), Loftus Cheek, Leao (subbed for Musah), Giroud

Bench: Sportiello, Mirante, Romero, Terracciano, Traorè, Jimenez, Simic, Zeroli

Goals: Loftus-Cheek 31’, Jovic 83’, Okafor 90+3’

Shortly after Milan had scored to take a 1-0 lead and were about to take a goal kick, Maignan signalled to his teammates to stop, walked to the referee and then to the sideline.

“I heard them making monkey noises,” 28-year-old Maignan told Milan TV.

“After it happened a second time, I went to the dugout to inform them of what had happened behind the goal.

“This shouldn’t exist in the world of football, but unfortunately for many years this is a recurrence.

“We all have to react; we must do something because you can’t play like this.

“With all the cameras present and sanctions for these things, something must be done to change things.”

Teammates attempted to console Maignan on the sideline but then the France international took his gloves off and walked down the tunnel leading off the field.

Maignan had also told the referee about monkey chants earlier during the match, prompting an announcement in the stadium asking fans to stop.

The Serie A game resumed about five minutes after the suspension when Maignan and teammates came back out. Milan won 3-2 and moved within four points of second-place Juventus, who visit Lecce on Sunday.

Udinese will likely be hit with a partial stadium closure for their next home match.

“There is absolutely no place in our game for racism: we are appalled, “Milan said on X, formerly Twitter. “We are with you, Mike.”

France striker Kylian Mbappe said “enough is enough” as he posted a message of support to Maignan on X.

He said: “You are very far from being alone Mike Maignan. We are all with you.

“Still the same problems and still NO solution. Enough is enough. NO TO RACISM.”

Luke Jovic and Noah Okafor scored late as Milan came back from a goal down to secure the victory.

Jovic knocked in the rebound of a shot from Olivier Giroud that hit the crossbar in the 83rd and then Giroud headed down a corner toward Okafor for the winner in stoppage time.

Lazar Samardzic and Florian Thauvin had put Udinese ahead after an early Milan goal from Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

AAP

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