Alleged racist abuse of Mike Maignan overshadows AC Milan win at Udinese

AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and his team-mates walked off the pitch during the first half of their 3-2 Serie A win at Udinese on Saturday evening.

The 28-year-old France international left the action shortly after his team had taken the lead, apparently indicating to referee Fabio Maresca that he had heard racist abuse from the crowd at the Stadio Friuli.

Maignan was followed by the other Milan players – shortly after Ruben Loftus-Cheek had given them a 31st-minute lead – but they returned to the pitch and play resumed about 10 minutes later.

Udinese hit back through Lazar Samardzic before the interval and substitute Florian Thauvin gave them a second-half lead.

Luka Jovic headed a late equaliser for Milan and substitute Noah Okafor snatched them all three points in stoppage time.

Roma won their first match under new boss Daniele de Rossi just four days after sacking Jose Mourinho with a 2-1 home victory against Verona.

Romelu Lukaku and Lorenzo Pellegrini gave Roma a 2-0 half-time lead and Michael Folorunsho pulled one back for the visitors.

In LaLiga, Athletic Bilbao missed the chance to close the gap on top two Girona and Real Madrid as they lost 1-0 at Valencia, where Hugo Duro headed the only goal in the second half.

Real Sociedad retained their top-six place thanks to Brais Mendez’s solitary first-half strike in a 1-0 victory at Celta Vigo, Las Palmas made it back-to-back wins after beating Rayo Vallecano 2-0 on the road and Villarreal were held 1-1 at home by Mallorca.

Bayer Leverkusen extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to seven points after Piero Hincapie’s stoppage-time goal clinched them a 3-2 win at Leipzig.

Nathan Tella cancelled out Xavi Simons’ early opener for Leipzig and although the home side led again through Lois Openda, Jonathan Tah headed Leverkusen level and Hincapie struck in the third minute of added time.

Second-placed Bayern Munich will bid to close the gap when they play Werder Bremen at home on Sunday.

Stuttgart missed the chance to make up ground on the top two as they lost 1-0 at Bochum, for whom Matus Bero fired a second-half winner.

Donyell Malen scored twice, while Niclas Fullkrug (penalty) and Youssoufa Moukoko were also on target as Borussia Dortmund consolidated fifth place with a 4-0 win at Cologne.

Heidenheim drew 1-1 at home against Wolfsburg, 10-man Freiburg, who had Manuel Gulde sent off late on, beat Hoffenheim 3-2 and Christoph Klarer’s goal in added time earned bottom club Darmstadt a 2-2 home draw against Eintracht Frankfurt.