'We should be playing at home!' - Mike Maignan joins Adrien Rabiot and Cesc Fabregas by slamming plot to play AC Milan vs Como clash in Australia

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.

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."

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."

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."

The decision to stage the match in Perth is primarily driven by a financial agreement reported to be worth around €12 million, the majority of which will go to AC Milan as compensation for lost gate revenue from San Siro. While the move is not yet official, it has cleared a major hurdle after receiving UEFA's approval on October 6. Final confirmation now rests on approvals from FIFA and the Australian Football Association, which are expected to follow shortly. The fixture is intended to boost Serie A's international profile, but the backlash from senior players has created significant controversy around the event.