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Returns to the pitch after the break: goalkeeper Mike Maignan
Photo: Jennifer Lorenzini / REUTERS
A racism incident has overshadowed the duel between Udinese Calcio and AC Milan in the Italian Serie A.
In Milan's 3-2 (1-1) win on Saturday evening, the game was interrupted for five minutes after 30 minutes because some Udine fans chanted racist chants against Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.
After repeated insults, the Frenchman left the pitch and went with the team into the catacombs.
Some Udine players hugged Maignan as a sign of solidarity.
After the break, the referee spoke to the stadium announcer, who asked the home fans to stop.
After a few minutes, Maignan returned to the pitch to the boos of the home fans.
The match then continued as normal.
Milan and Serie A condemned the incident.
»There is absolutely no place for racism here.
We are shocked,” commented the Milan club on X.
Before the game was interrupted, Ruben Loftus-Cheek (31st) had put Milan in the lead.
But Calcio turned the game around with goals from Lazar Samardzic (42nd) and Florian Thauvin (62nd).
Luka Jovic (83rd) and Noah Okafor (90th + 3) answered for the AC.
AS Roma wins against Hellas Verona
The first AS Roma game after the dismissal of José Mourinho, in which the Romans celebrated a 2-1 (2-0) win against Hellas Verona, also faded into the background.
Under the direction of new coach Daniele De Rossi, Romelu Lukaku (19th) and Lorenzo Pellegrini (25th) took the lead.
Verona only managed the next goal through Michael Folorunsho (77th).
With the victory, the Romans jumped from ninth place to seventh place.
jpa/sid