AC Milan crushed Udinese on Friday night, preserving their faint hopes of making it to the Champions League the following season. The team led by Sergio Conceicao entered the match nine points behind fourth-place Bologna and in ninth place in Serie A.
They needed to win badly in Stadio Friuli, and they won 4-0, giving them what they wanted. Theo Hernandez, Tijjani Reijnders, Rafael Leao, and Strahinja Pavlović all scored goals to give AC Milan all three points and increase their hopes of qualifying for the European Premier Cup again.
Even though it was possibly AC Milan’s best victory of the year, their triumph was slightly marred by Mike Maignan, their star custodian, suffering a terrible injury.
Mike Maignan was taken to the hospital after a terrifying collision.
It was observed that Tammy Abraham prayed for his teammate.
Ten minutes into the second half, AC Milan captain Maignan and his teammate Alex Jimenez were involved in a terrifying collision. The French custodian stormed out of his goal and collided with Jimenez with full force, knocking Maignan unconscious. Tammy Abraham, who was on the substitutes’ bench at the time, was seen praying for his teammate. The Frenchman eventually had to be stretchered off and was taken to the hospital for tests.
Considered to be among the world’s top goalkeepers, Maignan spent the night in a hospital but will return to Milan on Saturday after being monitored.
After the game, AC Milan’s players were ready to honour their captain. According to TalkSPORT, Christian Pulisic told DAZN: “Mike’s well-being is the most crucial factor. We are thinking of him.
“It’s a strange environment with what had happened before in Udine,” Leao continued. After a productive workweek, we arrived at the game with a strong sense of preparation. But his triumph belongs to Maignan.
In contrast, Matteo Gabbia stated: “Thankfully, Mike is doing well. The doctor assured us that he was in the hospital for tests but that he was doing OK when we all asked how he was. In addition to being an excellent captain, he put his face in risk.
As Maignan was carried off the pitch on a stretcher, Conceicao commended the Udinese supporters for their cheers. According to Reuters, he told Sky Sport:
“I was impressed. The commotion surrounding the player on the ground… I must give the Udinese fans credit. The man and the player are two different things. The player can be jeered, but the man cannot. I haven’t seen many gestures like that in 40 years of football, so that applause was amazing.”
Although they are still in ninth place, AC Milan has increased their prospects of earning a Champions League berth. They must continue to win, and on Sunday, April 20, they will host Atalanta at San Siro in an attempt to gain three more points.
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