An apology with a defence attached
Mike Maignan took to Instagram on Friday to address his dismissal at Bournemouth. The AC Milan goalkeeper admitted he was at fault, but said the gesture was not intentional. His explanation: like every goalkeeper, he was trying to clear space in his own box. He conceded it left a bad image, particularly for younger viewers.
He also pushed back on what he called interpretations from some people and some media, and said his club, staff and team-mates know what kind of captain he is.
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Twenty-seven minutes of damage
The incident came in the 28th minute of the Europa League league-phase game on Thursday. Facing an English corner, Maignan lost his composure and put both hands to the face of Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams to force him away. The referee sent him off, and Milan went on to lose 3-0 on the south coast.
The 31-year-old is also France’s captain, which adds weight to the episode beyond the club result. An early red card for a goalkeeper is rarely survivable in a European away game, and this one proved no exception.
The UEFA question
A ban from European football’s governing body could follow, and RMC Sport suggests the sanction may be fairly heavy given the nature of the contact. Milan are back in Serie A on Sunday, away at Udinese, and will have to plan without knowing yet how long Maignan’s absence from Europe will last.
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