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Milan’s Reaction to Maignan’s Hospitalization During Match
Milan players expressed their concern following a collision involving their goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Defender Matteo Gabbia reassured fans after the game, stating, “Fortunately, Mike is fine. We all asked the doctor how he was, and he reassured us by telling us that he’s in the hospital for tests, but he’s doing OK. He’s a great captain.”
Manager Sergio Conceicao also acknowledged the support from the fans during a tense moment. He praised the home crowd for their response when Maignan was being carried off the pitch, commenting, “It impressed me. The player on the ground, the chaos around him… I have to compliment the Udinese fans,” as reported by Sky Sports.
This incident follows a troubling episode from earlier in January 2024, when Maignan faced racial abuse from some home fans during a match at Udinese. In response, he and his teammates temporarily left the field to alert the referee, leading to Serie A imposing sanctions on Udinese, requiring them to play a subsequent match without spectators.
Conceicao emphasized the distinction between the athlete and the individual when discussing the reaction from fans: “The player is one thing, and the man is another. They can boo the player, but not the man.” He noted the applause Maignan received as a “remarkable gesture,” adding, “In 40 years of football, I have seen few gestures like that.”
On the field, Milan displayed a strong performance, with Rafael Leao and Strahinja Pavlovic scoring in the first half, followed by goals from Theo Hernandez and Tijjani Reijnders in the closing 15 minutes of the match.
Looking ahead, Milan will host Atalanta in the league on April 20 and is set to face their rivals Inter Milan in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final on April 23, with the contest currently tied at 1-1.
Source
www.bbc.com