Real Madrid endured another disappointing home defeat as they fell 3-1 to AC Milan in a Champions League encounter at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The loss came on the back of a demoralising 4-0 defeat in El Clásico, and with only six points from their opening four games in Europe’s premier competition, manager Carlo Ancelotti has plenty of concerns to address.
The match began with Milan taking an early lead in the 12th minute when Malick Thiaw headed in Christian Pulisic’s near-post corner, giving the Italians a surprise advantage. However, Real Madrid responded swiftly, with Vinicius Junior converting a penalty in the 21st minute after being fouled by Emerson Royal.
The Brazilian made no mistake from the spot, chipping the ball past Milan keeper Mike Maignan to level the scores. But Milan were not deterred. In a fast-paced first half, Madrid struggled defensively, and their frustrations were compounded in the 40th minute.
A poor giveaway in midfield allowed Rafael Leao to fire a low shot that was parried by Andriy Lunin, and former Madrid and Atlético Madrid striker Alvaro Morata pounced on the rebound to put Milan back in front.
The second half saw Madrid push for an equaliser but they were constantly caught out by Milan’s counter-attacks. Milan nearly extended their lead in the 55th minute, but Lunin made a crucial save, denying Leao’s header. However, the third goal arrived in the 73rd minute when Tijjani Reijnders broke through Madrid’s midfield and slammed the ball past Lunin from close range to seal the victory.
Jude Bellingham, who had been a standout performer earlier in the season, was substituted shortly after Milan's third goal, visibly frustrated as he kicked a water bottle on his way off the pitch.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappé continued his struggles in front of the goal, playing centrally instead of in his preferred left-wing position as Vinicius remained in the starting role. The French forward has now scored just once in his last six matches, raising further questions about his role in Ancelotti's system.
The match ended on a sour note for Madrid when a goal from Antonio Rudiger in the 82nd minute was ruled out by VAR for offside, cementing the defeat.
With Madrid still reeling from the loss, Ancelotti expressed his concerns about the team's organization and defensive fragility. "We have to be worried," he said. "The team’s not giving a good account of itself. We have to be more compact and organised, and we've let in a lot of goals. We're not well organised on the pitch."
For Milan, it was a huge morale-boosting win. Manager Paulo Fonseca praised his side’s courage, especially in the first half, where they dominated possession and created numerous chances. Despite defending deep in the second half, Milan held firm to secure the three points.
Madrid will need to regroup quickly as they face tough tests ahead in La Liga and the Champions League, while Ancelotti and his players must find answers to their recent woes.
Follow Think Football Ideas across our social channels, on Facebook, [X]Twitter and Instagram.
Comments