The main headlines this morning, especially after Sergio Conceicao’s words, have been regarding the Udinese fans’ support of Mike Maignan. However, one can’t help but point out that yesterday’s atmosphere was bizarre.
When Maignan touched the ball for the first time, it became clear what sort of night it would be for the goalkeeper. It all goes back to the game at Stadio Friuli last season, when he walked off the pitch after experiencing racial abuse from the Udinese ultras.
Four fans ended up being banned for life, following investigations, and it’s something that the Udinese ultras didn’t take lightly. Just a few days ago, a banner with the text ‘Maignan man of s***’ appeared, while the Curva Nord also published a statement against the goalkeeper.
In essence, they feel the racism label wasn’t justified and thus put a stain on the fanbase as a whole, which is also why they decided to booe and whistle Maignan last night. It made for a very strange atmosphere, especially since the racial abuse from Udinese fans was confirmed.
In other words, it almost felt like the Udinese fans were defending racism, and that’s also why the support after Maignan’s collision – which Conceicao praised – means very little in the grand scheme of things.
