Real Madrid suffered consecutive home defeats, including their second Champions League loss of the season, after AC Milan claimed a 3-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Malick Thiaw’s early goal gave Milan the lead, which Vinicius Junior later canceled out with a penalty. But further goals from Alvaro Morata and Tijjani Reijnders sealed a well-earned win for the Italian side. Madrid’s loss follows a 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in El Clasico, raising concerns as they stumble through their Champions League campaign, with two losses in their first four games, including an earlier defeat to Lille.
AC Milan’s season has been mixed, with just one win in their first three Champions League matches, and they sit seventh in Serie A, eight points behind Napoli. Real Madrid, meanwhile, trail La Liga leaders Barcelona by nine points, with their performance in this match only adding to the growing scrutiny over missed chances and defensive lapses.
The game started with Milan on the front foot. Thiaw found the net in the 12th minute, heading in Christian Pulisic’s corner for his first goal in Milan colors. Nine minutes later, Vinicius leveled for Madrid in his return match after he and the club skipped the Ballon d’Or ceremony over concerns about respect. Tripped in the box by Emerson Royal, Vinicius calmly chipped Milan keeper Mike Maignan from the penalty spot and celebrated by kissing the Real Madrid badge.
In a fast-paced first half, Madrid lost the ball in midfield six minutes before halftime, setting up Milan’s second goal. Andriy Lunin saved Rafael Leao’s shot but couldn’t keep out Morata, who volleyed into the roof of the net.
Madrid’s attacking frustrations continued as Kylian Mbappe struggled to make an impact, managing just one goal in his last six matches. Forced to play centrally to accommodate Vinicius on the left, Mbappe couldn’t find his stride.
After halftime, Milan nearly extended their lead on the counterattack, with Lunin making a superb save to deny Leao’s header. However, Milan struck again in the 73rd minute when Reijnders, dominant in midfield alongside Yunus Musah, powered through the Madrid defense and finished from close range. In contrast, Madrid’s midfield struggled; Jude Bellingham, visibly frustrated, was substituted shortly after Milan’s third goal.
Madrid’s evening worsened when Antonio Rudiger’s late goal was ruled out by VAR, extinguishing any hope of a comeback.
This game marked Madrid’s return after their scheduled trip to Valencia was postponed due to severe floods in Spain. Before kickoff, both teams wore white T-shirts reading “We are all Valencia” in support, with banners and a large Valencia city flag on display during a moment of silence.
SOURCE: BBC
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