AC Milan walk off in race row

Platini , blatter it is a problem, now get your heads out of the sand and start doing something you cretins

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A friendly between AC Milan and an Italian fourth division side was abandoned amid allegations of racist chanting towards some of the Serie A players.

The game at Pro Patria was halted after 26 minutes when Milan's Ghanaian midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng kicked the ball at the stand behind him, removed his shirt and left the field with his team-mates.

According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Portsmouth midfielder was subjected to repeated abuse, along with fellow Milan stars Urby Emanuelson, Sulley Muntari and M'Baye Niang.

As he left the field, Boateng clapped the other areas of the ground, whose supporters appeared to react angrily towards the section of the crowd where the chants came from.

AC Milan's official site were doing a live text commentary on the game, with the entry for the 26th minute reading: "AC Milan leaves the pitch after racist abuse by a minority of Pro Patria fans at Boateng, (Mbaye) Niang, (Urby) Emanuelson and (Sulley) Muntari.

"The rest of the fans in the stands disassociated themselves from such racist events."

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said afterwards: "We are disappointed and saddened by what has happened.

"Milan play for the right to respect all players. We need to stop these uncivilised gestures.

"We are sorry for all the other fans who came here for a beautiful day of sport. We promise to return, and we are sorry for the club and players of Pro Patria, but we could not make any other decision.

"I hope it can be an important signal."

Milan captain Massimo Ambrosini later tweeted: "Milan will come back (to Pro Patria) for the kids and people who've nothing to do with racism, but a strong signal had to be sent."

He'll probably say something like as its a friendly it's outside our jurisdiction...

Good to hear the rest of the fans reacted to theracists & to see that the Pro Patria players were trying to talk to the racist fans. It's looks like the club officials did nothing.

I wonder what would have happened had this mean a league / competitive match instead of a friendly. Would the officials have been so keen to back the players?

AC Milan legend Clarence Seedorf says former team-mate Kevin-Prince Boateng was wrong to lead the Italian side off the pitch because of racist abuse.

The Ghana midfielder walked off in protest in the 25th minute of a friendly at Pro Patria on Thursday.

Seedorf said: "I don't see it as such a positive thing because [it] empowers more and more of this behaviour."

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“We are just empowering that little group with their behaviour to make this mess”

Clarence Seedorf

However, Patrick Vieira, Rio Ferdinand and Vincent Kompany all backed Boateng's stance.

Speaking on Twitter, World Cup-winner Vieira said: "It was brave of Kevin-Prince Boateng to do what he did and it was the right thing. We need to stand up and stand together. Well done."

Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand tweeted: "Fair play to him. Well done #UefaStandUp"

And Manchester City skipper Kompany tweeted: "Act of racism against Boateng during Milan's friendly. How about becoming extremely intolerant towards racist idiots? They need to be told."

But Seedorf, 36, who now plays for Botafogo in Brazil, would have preferred a different approach against those chanting abuse.

"They should just be identified and kicked out of the stadium," he said. "Leave the 90% that were enjoying the match and finish the game."

Seedorf added: "If Boateng was able to identify the whole corner, you just kick the whole corner out, That is how I think it should be handled.

"Walking away? Yes, you send a signal. But this has happened more than once and I don't think it really changes all that much. We are just empowering that little group with their behaviour to make this mess."

Seedorf played for Milan from 2002 to 2012 and won the Champions League with the side in 2003 and 2007.