AC Milan played without a recognizable captain after goalkeeper Mike Maignan was substituted in the match against Udinese. This goes against the rules. The club could be penalized for it but will likely be spared.
AC Milan cruised to a dominant 4-0 away victory over Udinese, extending their strong run of form in Serie A, but the match was not without controversy.
A rare procedural oversight drew attention after a bizarre situation involving captain Mike Maignan and the team’s failure to maintain a visibly identifiable leader on the field, as required by the official rules of the game.
The incident occurred in the 54th minute, when Maignan was forced to leave the pitch following a collision with his own teammate, Álex Jiménez. The French goalkeeper who has been in excellent form this season took a heavy blow and required medical attention. As a precaution, he was taken to a nearby hospital for checks, although thankfully, he was discharged the following day with no serious injuries reported.
Maignan, beyond his goalkeeping duties, also holds the role of team captain, a responsibility he’s carried with composure and leadership. Normally, when he is not on the field, that duty is passed on to fellow Frenchman Theo Hernández. However, what unfolded after Maignan's injury raised eyebrows and sparked discussion.
Rather than transferring the captain’s armband to Hernández or another player on the field, the armband remained on Maignan’s arm as he was stretchered off. In most professional teams, a spare armband is readily available on the bench precisely for these situations, ensuring that a captain can always be easily identified. Surprisingly, no replacement armband was issued.
Footage and photos from the match show that Hernández who played a crucial role in the win and even got on the scoresheet was not wearing a captain’s armband at any point after Maignan’s exit. The situation became even more unusual later in the match when Hernández was substituted. At that point, with no designated vice-captain visible, AC Milan finished the game without any player wearing an armband an unusual and technically illegal scenario under the official rules of the game.
According to the regulations set by both FIFA and Serie A, a team must always have a recognizable captain on the pitch. The role isn’t just symbolic; the captain is the only player officially authorized to speak with the referee on certain matters, and their presence represents leadership and order. Violating this protocol is considered a breach of match regulations and, in theory, is punishable by a fine.
However, in this case, AC Milan are likely to escape without disciplinary action. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, referee Juan Luca Sacchi took the context into consideration. The unexpected nature of Maignan’s injury, the likely confusion on the bench, and the team’s overwhelming dominance on the pitch may have contributed to the referee’s decision not to report the matter formally.
The match result itself was never in doubt. Milan were clinical from the start and overwhelmed a struggling Udinese side with a blend of pace, precision, and physicality. Goals came from several players, with Hernández’s contribution particularly noteworthy. However, the captaincy confusion overshadowed much of the post-match discussion, leading to questions about procedural discipline within the Milan staff.
This isn’t the first time a team has been caught in such a situation, but it remains rare at the top level, where protocols and planning are usually watertight. For a club with the stature and professionalism of AC Milan, the oversight was surprising and perhaps a reminder that even elite teams can occasionally slip up in the finer details of match management.
With Maignan expected to recover quickly and no major consequences foreseen, Milan will shift their focus back to the pitch, aiming to maintain pressure on Serie A leaders and continue their pursuit of silverware. However, the incident has served as a useful reminder that attention to small details even something as simple as an armband can matter, especially when it involves complying with the laws of the game.
