AC Milan stunned Real Madrid with a 3-1 victory in a Champions League clash at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.
Malick Thiaw, Alvaro Morata, and Tijjani Reijnders scored for Milan, delivering a statement win over the defending champions.
Thiaw opened the scoring for seven-time European champions Milan with a header from a corner in the 12th minute.
Real responded in the 23rd minute when Vinicius Jr. equalized from the penalty spot. However, Morata reclaimed the lead for Milan in the 39th minute, scoring from a rebound.
Reijnders then sealed the win, finishing a Rafael Leao cross after a swift counter-attack.
Real Madrid, struggling in 17th place in the Champions League standings, suffered their second consecutive defeat after a heavy 4-0 loss to Barcelona in El Clasico just over a week ago.
This marked the first time Real has lost back-to-back games since 2021.
“We need to defend better collectively,” Real Madrid captain Lucas Vazquez admitted. “Our opponents are making us pay, and we must prevent it from happening again.”
Relentless Milan
Real attempted to control possession, but Milan’s counter-attacks were relentless, exploiting Leao’s speed down the left wing.
Milan coach Paulo Fonseca had reportedly studied Barcelona’s strategy in the Clasico, taking advantage of Real’s vulnerabilities on the break.
Leao’s pace led to Milan’s opener, as his run down the left earned a corner. Christian Pulisic’s delivery found Thiaw, who headed past Andriy Lunin.
Although Vinicius leveled with a penalty, Milan quickly reasserted control, with Morata capitalizing on a Tchouameni error and Reijnders adding a third after another quick counter.
Real Madrid’s frustration mounted, with the Bernabeu crowd booing as the team struggled to break down Milan’s disciplined defense.
Despite a disallowed goal by Antonio Ruediger in the 82nd minute, Real couldn’t recover, and fans left the stadium disappointed.
