Mike Maignan: Four Udinese fans banned for life by club over racist abuse of AC Milan goalkeeper

Play was briefly suspended in a league match on 20 January when AC Milan left the pitch after alerting the referee to the abuse.

The four fans have also been banned from all Italian stadiums for five years, Italian police announced.

Udinese said they have extended this to life bans from Stadio Friuli.

“Udinese can confirm that it has identified four further individuals relating to the incident of discrimination towards AC Milan player Mike Maignan,” the club said in a statement on Wednesday.

“These individuals will also be banned from the Bluenergy Stadium [Stadio Friuli] for life.

“As has been the case from the very beginning, the club has continued its work alongside the police, reaffirming its absolute determination to punish the culprits as evidence of its concrete commitment against any form of discrimination.”

Udinese confirmed on Monday that another fan had been banned for life.

Earlier on Wednesday, Italian police said a man from the city of Udine, a woman and two other men from the local area were picked out after analysis of video footage from the stadium.

They said the suspects’ details have been passed on to prosecutors.

Five years is the maximum ban that can be given to first-time offenders for racist abuse at football matches by authorities, but individual clubs can enforce longer bans from their own grounds.

Udinese have also been ordered to play one match behind closed doors.

Maignan told Sky Sports Italy after the game, which Milan won 3-2, that he could hear “monkey noises” and called for “very strong sanctions” for offenders.

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