AC Milan kept their hopes of European football alive on Friday by sweeping aside Udinese 4-0, as goalkeeper Mike Maignan was stretchered off the field following a sickening clash of heads with teammate Alex Jimenez. Rafael Leao, Strahinja Pavlovic, Theo Hernandez and Tijjani Reijnders were on the mark for Milan who stay ninth but are four points behind Lazio who sit sixth, in the Conference League spot, and face local rivals Roma on Sunday. Milan were already two ahead through Leao and Pavlovic’s strikes just before half-time when Maignan came charging out of his goal to clear the ball but ended up headbutting Jimenez.

Milan said Maignan was “conscious” and on his way to hospital for tests following the accident six minutes after half-time.

Jimenez was able to carry on playing but Maignan held his head in his hands as he was carried off the pitch to applause from home fans at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine.

Only minutes before a large section of Udinese supporters had booed Maignan as he approached the goal in front of hardcore home fans, who had also chanted foul-mouth insults at the 29-year-old.

Maignan was racially abused by a small number of Udinese supporters during a match in Udine in January last year, and the club subsequently identified and banned for life five people responsible for the offensive remarks.

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