Match Report: Real Madrid 1 - 3 Milan

03/12/2024

By Jose Benjamin De Leon Castillo

Real Madrid Crumble Under Milan's Onslaught

Ancelotti, hoping to orchestrate a revival, fielded a 4-4-2 with Modric at its heart. Fonseca countered with a 4-2-3-1, with Morata leading the line.

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The early exchanges were cagey, both teams wary of making a mistake. But in the 12th minute, the deadlock was broken in spectacular fashion. Pulisic whipped in a wicked corner that seemed to hang in the Madrid night sky. Thiaw – rising like a colossus – towered over a static Tchouaméni and powered an unstoppable header past a helpless Lunin.

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The early goal jolted Real Madrid into life. A flowing move involving Bellingham and Mendy, that finished with an audacious backheel from the Englishman, ended with Vinícius being brought down in the box. The Brazilian stepped up and, with the weight of the Bernabéu on his shoulders, he nonchalantly chipped the penalty straight down the middle, sending Maignan the wrong way with a cheeky "panenka".

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But Real Madrid's lead was short-lived. In the 39th minute, disaster struck. Tchouaméni, under pressure, made a costly error and gifted the ball to Leao. The forward raced towards goal and unleashed a thunderous shot. Lunin, at full stretch, managed to parry the ball away, but Morata, lurking like a predator, pounced on the rebound. 2-1.

Ancelotti, his face a mask of frustration, hauled off the hapless Tchouaméni and the ineffective Valverde at half-time. Camavinga and Brahim were thrown into the fray, but the changes failed to spark a revival. Real Madrid's attack sputtered and stalled.

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AC Milan seized control, their confidence growing with every passing minute. Leao, a whirlwind of pace and trickery on the left wing, tormented the struggling Lucas Vázquez. In the 73rd minute, he delivered the knockout punch. Collecting the ball out wide, he left Vázquez in his dust with a blistering turn of speed. He cut inside and slid a precise pass to Reijnders, who arrived unmarked and calmly struck the ball into the net.

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Real Madrid, with wounded pride, launched a desperate fightback. But Mbappé's efforts were in vain and Vinícius, lacking his usual sparkle, was unable to find a way through. A late surge from Rüdiger saw him bundle the ball home, which sparked hope, but VAR cruelly ruled the goal out for offside. 

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The final whistle blew, confirming a 3-1 victory for AC Milan. The silence of the stadium spoke volumes. This wasn't just any defeat: Real Madrid haven't conceded 3+ goals in consecutive home losses since 2009.