AC Milan captain Mike Maignan has joined the player backlash against plans to move their Serie A home game against Como to Perth, Australia. The goalkeeper branded the move a mistake driven by finance, echoing Adrien Rabiot's "completely crazy" comments. The criticism comes despite a sharp rebuke from the Serie A chief, as the controversial fixture moves closer to confirmation.
AC Milan captain Maignan criticises Australia fixture plan
Maignan has publicly condemned the proposal to play the Serie A home fixture in Australia. Speaking at a press conference while on international duty with France, the goalkeeper voiced his strong opposition to the plan, arguing that financial interests are being prioritised over competitive integrity. Maignan's comments align him with Rabiot, who had previously labelled the idea "completely crazy," adding to the growing player backlash against the decision. The controversial match is scheduled to take place in February.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhat Maignan said about the controversial fixture
The French international did not hold back when asked about the proposed fixture, expressing his full agreement with Rabiot's earlier criticism. "I totally agree with Adrien Rabiot. I don't understand why we're playing abroad," Maignan stated. "Many things are forgotten these days, we think too much about the financial aspect. It's an Italian league match, I don't understand why we're playing abroad. Furthermore, we should have been playing at home, so we 'lose' a home game. Our goals are ambitious, we mustn't leave anything to chance."
Rabiot's 'completely crazy' criticism
Maignan's comments echo the strong sentiments previously shared by his teammate, Rabiot. The midfielder expressed his disbelief at moving a domestic league game over 13,700 km away.
"I was surprised when I heard that we'll be playing a Serie A match in Australia with AC Milan. It's completely crazy," Rabiot said. "But these are financial agreements to give visibility to the league, things that are beyond us. There's a lot of talk about schedules and player health, it all seems truly absurd. It's crazy to travel so many miles for a match between two Italian teams in Australia. We have to adapt, as always."
Serie A chief hits back at player complaints
The player complaints prompted a sharp response from Lega Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo, who directed his comments at Rabiot. "Rabiot forgets, like all footballers who earn millions of euros, that they're paid to do something, namely play football," De Siervo said. "He should be respectful of the money he earns and more accommodating of his employer, AC Milan, who accepted and pushed for this match to be played abroad. The organizational challenge is complicated, the flight hours are long, but you're traveling business class to the other side of the world, something teams regularly do. Top footballers, whose salaries are commensurate with the effort they put in, should understand better than others that this is a sacrifice that can be made."