Mike Maignan released from hospital after terrifying head injury during AC Milan's clash with Udinese left Tammy Abraham praying for his team-mate's safety

Ten minutes into the second half of Friday night’s match, Maignan raced off his line to challenge a dangerous ball sent into Milan's half. In doing so, he unintentionally collided with his own teammate, defender Alex Jimenez, in a heavy impact that sent both players crashing to the turf. The severity of the contact brought play to a halt instantly, despite Udinese finding themselves with a clear opportunity to score.

For a moment, the stadium fell silent as Maignan appeared unresponsive, raising fears of a serious head injury. Medical staff rushed onto the field, and the goalkeeper was stretchered off, with substitute Marco Sportiello taking his place in the 55th minute. The shocking nature of the incident left several Milan players deeply concerned, none more so than forward Tammy Abraham. The England striker, who was on the bench at the time, dropped to his knees and began to pray as Maignan received treatment.

Despite the alarming scenes, AC Milan later provided reassurance by confirming that Maignan never actually lost consciousness. As a precautionary measure, he was taken to a nearby hospital in Udine, where he was kept overnight for observation and underwent a series of medical tests.

Fortunately, all results returned were clear, and the 28-year-old was discharged from the hospital on Saturday morning. According to reports from Tuttomercatoweb, Maignan is now en route back to Milan to rejoin the team and begin recovery under club supervision.

While Milan fans were relieved by Maignan’s health update, a peculiar detail from the match emerged afterward concerning the team’s leadership structure on the pitch. Maignan, who was serving as captain for the night, was stretchered off wearing the captain's armband. However, Milan failed to assign a new official captain for the remainder of the match - something that technically goes against Serie A rules.

Vice-captain Theo Hernandez remained on the field but did not don the armband. Interestingly, Hernandez went on to score in the game, becoming, according to historical records, the first player to score as an acting captain without wearing the armband since the tradition was formalized.

Although this administrative oversight could theoretically lead to a fine for AC Milan, sources at La Gazzetta dello Sport suggest that the club is unlikely to face disciplinary action. The referee, Juan Luca Sacchi, was expected to point out the issue during the match, but given the extraordinary circumstances surrounding Maignan’s injury, it’s expected that leniency will prevail.

Milan’s 4-0 triumph lifted them to 51 points in the league standings. However, they remain in ninth position, trailing Lazio by four points in the race for European qualification. With only a few games remaining, every point will be vital as the Rossoneri push for a spot in next season’s continental competitions.