AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan says too many people are “complicit” in allowing racism to continue blighting football, and urged authorities to take stronger action after he suffered racist abuse on Saturday.
Maignan, who is Black, walked off after being abused by Udinese fans during a top-tier Italian league game, prompting the match to be suspended briefly during the first half. Maignan later told DAZN that he had been subjected to monkey noises.
On Sunday, he delivered a strongly-worded response.
“It’s not the player who was attacked. It’s the man, it’s the father. It’s not the first time it’s happened to me and I’m not the first person it’s happened to,” Maignan wrote in French on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“We’ve had statements, publicity campaigns, protocols and nothing has changed. It’s the whole system that must take responsibility.”
Maignan’s France teammate Kylian Mbappe posted a message of support for Maignan. “We are all with you,” Mbappe wrote on X. “Always the same problems and still no solution. Enough is enough.”
Mbappe shines
Kylian Mbappe scored twice and set up two goals as Paris Saint-Germain won 4-1 at third-tier Orleans to reach the French Cup round-of-16 on Saturday.
Mbappe netted in the 16th minute and also scored with a 62nd-minute penalty following a handball. That took him to 28 goals in 26 games this season and extended his club-record haul to 240.
His cross from the left set up Goncalo Ramos in the 71st and, after Orleans pulled a goal back from a corner, Mbappe passed to substitute midfielder Senny Mayulu for a neat finish late on.
Bayern beaten
Bayern Munich lost ground on leaders Bayer Leverkusen after they suffered their first home Bundesliga defeat of the season against Werder Bremen. Defender Mitchell Weiser scored in the 59th minute and Werder held on to clinch their first away win over their opponents since 2008.
Bayern are seven points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who beat RB Leipzig 3-2 on Saturday, with a game in hand.
Written with inputs from AP/PTI
