In an outstanding Champions League performance, AC Milan conquered the Santiago Bernabeu last night, securing a critical victory as the group stage reaches its halfway point. The Rossoneri took an early lead in the 12th minute with a goal by Thiaw and showed resilience when Vinicius equalized for Real Madrid on a penalty, momentarily tipping momentum towards the Spanish side. Just before halftime, former Real player Alvaro Morata restored Milan’s lead. In the second half, manager Fonseca’s tactical mastery was on full display as Milan’s midfield effectively contained Bellingham and the Madrid offense, defending their lead while capitalizing on counterattacks. Reijnders capped off the night with a brilliant goal in the 78th minute, sealing a 3-1 victory for Milan.
Meanwhile, Juventus, under coach Motta, managed a draw at Lille. Vlahovic converted a penalty to level the score after Lille’s star striker Jonathan David initially put the hosts ahead. This result spared Juventus from a second consecutive defeat.
Bologna, however, wasn’t able to avoid a home loss against Monaco. Despite a valiant effort, they were defeated by a late goal from Keher in the 86th minute. Bologna has now played four Champions League games without finding the net even once, adding pressure on coach Italiano.
In other notable results, Manchester City suffered a surprising 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon. Though City took an early lead with Foden’s goal in the 4th minute, Sporting responded in spectacular fashion, driven by a stellar performance from Gyokeres, who netted a hat-trick. Haaland missed a penalty at 3-1, failing to close the gap and allowing Sporting to complete their remarkable comeback.
Tonight, Inter and Atalanta will take the field at 9 p.m. Italian time. Inter faces Arteta’s Arsenal, a formidable opponent despite recent struggles in the Premier League, while Atalanta travels to Stuttgart to continue their strong European campaign, buoyed by their recent emphatic victory over Serie A leaders Napoli at the Maradona stadium.
