Udinese fan banned for life for racist abuse towards AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan

Mike Maignan told the referee that he heard racist chants before leaving the pitch

Udinese have banned a fan for life for racist abuse towards AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

Play was briefly suspended in the Serie A match on 20 January as Maignan and his team-mates left the pitch after alerting the referee to the abuse.

The individual banned was found by staff and police by using security cameras, with Udinese saying they are working to identify further offenders.

They added that the ban takes immediate effect.

"We believe that such strong measures are necessary to send a clear message that racism has no place in football or society," the club said in a statement.

"We thank the authorities for their co-operation and together we will continue to work tirelessly in order to identify and punish other individuals who were involved in this incident and that tarnish the sporting ethics of the club, the region, the city of Udine and a fan base that has always been a model of integration and respect.

"We want to ensure that our stadium remains a space where everyone, regardless of their ethnicity, background, culture, and language is able to enjoy the beautiful game without fear of discrimination."

Maignan told Sky Sports Italy that he could hear "monkey noises" and called for "very strong sanctions" for offenders.

Also on Saturday, Coventry City's Kasey Palmer also suffered racist abuse during their Championship encounter with Sheffield Wednesday.

Coventry said they were "shocked and saddened" by the incident while the Professional Footballers' Association chair Omar Beckles said that members do not believe there are "real, consistent and significant consequences" for racism.