AC Milan have released an official statement following today's walk-off 26 minutes into a friendly match with fourth-tier side Pro Patia.
Kevin-Prince Boateng stormed off the pitch in protest at racist chants coming from the stands at the Stadio Speroni, quickly followed by the rest of his teammates.
Representatives of both clubs have been quick to condemn the chanting, with Milan now releasing a statement claiming that football in Italy is "infested" by a racist minority.
"Busto Arsizio is a civilised town, nobody can argue against that," read a statement on the club's official website. "Milan will return gladly and with heads held high, but the racist chanting from those tiny, tiny people today could not go unpunished. They are condemned by the shame they must feel when, caused by a few, many are robbed of a relaxing afternoon of sport.
"In the stands of the Stadio Speroni in Busto Arsizio there were sports fans, their families and their children. There were good people representing sport, the pure and healthy spectators who wanted to sit next to others and enjoy a great friendly match. These people were the first to disassociate themselves from the tiny, tiny group in the stadium that made the continuation of this game impossible.
"At a certain point, Milan said enough. Those who share the colour of the heart of Boateng, Sulley Muntari and Mbaye Niang couldn't take it anymore and decided it was time to teach a lesson to those fools. They were standing up with their ignorance, but it was as if they were under our feet. 'Let everyone learn from this experience,' said Coach Massimiliano Allegri. 'We will return,' promised captain Massimo Ambrosini.
"That will be the case, but only if Italian football definitively isolates those tiny, tiny people who infest our stadiums."
Pro Patia president Pietro Vavassori has distanced the club from those who were chanting.
Michael Penkman
