In a surprising twist at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid fell to their second consecutive home defeat and their second loss in the Champions League group stage, succumbing 3-1 to a resilient AC Milan. Despite a brief comeback led by Vinicius Junior, who equalized from the penalty spot, Real Madrid couldn’t match the intensity or precision of AC Milan, who capitalized on defensive lapses to seal a well-deserved win with goals from Alvaro Morata and Tijjani Reijnders.
For Real Madrid, this defeat marks a troubling trend. After their recent 4-0 thrashing by Barcelona in La Liga, pressure is mounting on Carlo Ancelotti’s reigning European champions, who have now lost two of their first four Champions League games this season following an earlier defeat away to Lille. Madrid’s inconsistency has cost them points both domestically and in Europe, and they now sit nine points adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona. AC Milan, meanwhile, have had their own struggles, winning just one of their first three Champions League games and lagging in Serie A, where they trail leaders Napoli by eight points. However, this win in Madrid may signal a shift in form for the Italian side.
The night started brightly for Milan, as they took an early lead from a corner in the 12th minute. Center-back Malick Thiaw headed in a precise delivery from Christian Pulisic, marking his debut goal for the club. But Madrid responded swiftly. Nine minutes later, Vinicius Junior, making headlines for his recent absence at the Ballon d’Or ceremony due to claims of “disrespect,” won a penalty after being fouled by Emerson Royal. The Brazilian confidently converted, chipping Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, and celebrated by kissing the Madrid badge, to the delight of the home crowd.
However, Madrid’s elation was short-lived. In an intense, end-to-end match, a costly loss of possession in midfield six minutes before halftime led to Rafael Leao’s low drive, which Real keeper Andriy Lunin could only parry. Former Real and Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata reacted quickly, firing high into the net and re-establishing Milan’s lead. Madrid’s frustration grew as star forward Kylian Mbappe, who has struggled with just one goal in his last six matches, continued to falter in front of goal. With Vinicius holding the favored left-wing position, Mbappe was once again shifted to a central role, where he appeared less effective.
As Madrid pushed for an equalizer in the second half, Milan nearly punished them on the counter. Lunin pulled off a remarkable save in the 55th minute to deny a powerful header from Leao, but the reprieve was temporary. Seventeen minutes from full time, Reijnders, who alongside Yunus Musah controlled the midfield, sprinted forward and smashed a third goal past Lunin from close range. This marked the end of a frustrating night for Madrid’s midfield, with Jude Bellingham subbed off after the third goal and visibly venting his frustration as he left the pitch.
Madrid fans endured a further blow when Antonio Rudiger’s late goal was disallowed by VAR, sealing an evening of missed chances and squandered opportunities. For the Madrid faithful, it was a challenging night, particularly following the team’s recent postponement of their league match against Valencia due to floods in Spain. In a show of solidarity, both Madrid and Milan players wore T-shirts saying “We are all Valencia” in Spanish and Italian before kickoff. The Bernabeu paid its respects to the city of Valencia, with a giant flag and banners displayed during a pre-match moment of silence.
This loss leaves Madrid at a crossroads as they aim to regroup after consecutive setbacks. With both European and domestic challenges intensifying, Real Madrid faces mounting pressure to restore form, while AC Milan, boosted by their victory, look to build on their newfound momentum.
