Milan Players Racially Abused During Win at Cagliari, Says Pioli

AC Milan's Ismael Bennacer celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates. (Reuters)
AC Milan's Ismael Bennacer celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates. (Reuters)
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Milan Players Racially Abused During Win at Cagliari, Says Pioli

AC Milan's Ismael Bennacer celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates. (Reuters)
AC Milan's Ismael Bennacer celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates. (Reuters)

AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and defender Fikayo Tomori were racially abused by Cagliari supporters during their 1-0 Serie A victory in Sardinia, manager Stefano Pioli said.

Maignan was closest to the Cagliari end and was celebrating with Tomori after the final whistle when they were allegedly subjected to racist abuse, which sparked a scuffle between players from both teams.

"This Serie A matchday was dedicated to the stand against racism, but there's still a long road ahead and we must keep on fighting together," Milan tweeted after the match.

Pioli said both Maignan and Tomori told him they received racist abuse from the crowd.

"Mike told me it was possible to hear some insults from behind the goal," Pioli told DAZN. "It's the first time he reacted like that, so something happened. Tomori also told me the same thing.

"It's always said when these things happen, nobody deserves that."

Cagliari striker Joao Pedro said he did not hear any racist abuse and defended the club's supporters.

"I didn't hear anything," he said. "That is a very delicate matter, but I was basically in midfield at the time.

"This is not a pleasant situation to talk about, but I have been here for eight years and I will defend the fans because I did not hear anything."



Liverpool Goalie Alisson Is Injured and Likely to Miss Brazil World Cup Qualifiers

Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Liverpool - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - October 5, 2024 Liverpool's Alisson Becker. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Liverpool - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - October 5, 2024 Liverpool's Alisson Becker. (Reuters)
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Liverpool Goalie Alisson Is Injured and Likely to Miss Brazil World Cup Qualifiers

Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Liverpool - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - October 5, 2024 Liverpool's Alisson Becker. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Liverpool - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - October 5, 2024 Liverpool's Alisson Becker. (Reuters)

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson will miss “a few weeks” after he was injured and substituted in Saturday's English Premier League match against Crystal Palace.

Alisson appeared to hurt his hamstring when clearing the ball in the second half at Selhurst Park and had to leave the field in the 79th minute.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot expected him to miss Brazil's World Cup qualifiers and Liverpool's next game, at least.

“What we do know is that if a player walks off like he did, that normally means that he is not in the Brazil squad and I don’t expect him to be in the team in the first game we play after (the international break)," Slot said. “It is going to take a few weeks I assume for him to be back. I think it is (his hamstring).”

Brazil has World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Peru during the upcoming international break.

Alisson limped off to be replaced by Vitezslav Jaros. Alisson has only recently returned after a muscle injury and was holding the back of his right leg on the sideline.

First-placed Liverpool won 1-0 through Diogo Jota's goal in the ninth minute.

Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister also went off as a precaution because of an issue with his groin.

Slot said he didn't know if Mac Allister would be able to play for Argentina in its upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Bolivia.

“He went off because of an injury, but how bad it is difficult for me to judge in this moment,” he said.