Champions League holders Real Madrid faces big defeat

Defending Champions League holders Real Madrid suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat at home to AC Milan on Tuesday in the group stage, with striker Kylian Mbappe unable to break his goal drought. The 25-year-old French forward, who has been struggling to find his form in recent matches, has scored just once in his last six appearances for Madrid across all competitions. This includes three defeats for the Spanish giants, further adding to the pressure on both Mbappe and the team as they struggle to regain their winning momentum. Milan took the lead in the first half thanks to a well-placed header from Malick Thiaw. However, Madrid responded quickly, leveling the score at 1-1 through a penalty converted by Vinicius Junior. Just before halftime, though, former Madrid striker Alvaro Morata punished his old club, scoring to restore Milan's advantage. 

The second half saw Milan tighten their grip on the match, with Tijjani Reijnders finding the net to seal the 3-1 victory for the Italian side. The defeat leaves Madrid in a precarious position in the group stage, as they continue to struggle with key players underperforming. Meanwhile, AC Milan’s win strengthens their position in the group, as they continue to push for a top finish. The loss at the Bernabeu raises further questions about Madrid’s form as they aim to defend their European title.

Real Madrid struggled to recover from their heavy 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in late October, with the loss to AC Milan adding to their woes. Madrid's previous match against Valencia was postponed due to devastating floods in eastern Spain, leaving them with limited match practice before facing the Italian giants. As a result, they were unable to find their rhythm and suffered another setback at home.

AC Milan, winners of the Champions League seven times, are second only to Madrid in European glory. However, the Italian club has not reached a final since 2007, when Carlo Ancelotti guided them to the title. This victory over Madrid marked a significant achievement for Milan, rekindling memories of their illustrious past in European football. Milan’s resilience and tactical approach were evident throughout the match, and their manager, Paulo Fonseca, praised his team’s bravery in securing a crucial win at the Santiago Bernabeu. The victory not only boosted Milan’s prospects in the group stage but also reinforced their belief in competing at the highest level once again. For Madrid, the defeat raised more questions about their current form and ability to bounce back from recent setbacks, as they aim to defend their Champions League crown.

"We are going through a period when our opponents are punishing us a lot and we have to keep working so that this doesn't happen again," Madrid defender Lucas Vazquez said in a recent interview. 

Carlo Ancelotti, who won the Champions League twice both as a player and a coach with Milan, made only one change to his starting lineup following the Clasico defeat, bringing in Luka Modric for Eduardo Camavinga. However, despite the slight adjustment, Madrid struggled to recover from their previous humiliation. Milan took the lead in the 12th minute with a well-executed near-post header from Malick Thiaw. The defender’s header off a corner sailed past a helpless Andriy Lunin in goal, giving Milan the advantage early on. Madrid tried to respond, and Kylian Mbappe had an opportunity to equalize, but Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan made an excellent save to deny the French striker.

Madrid’s equalizer came when Vinicius Junior won a penalty after being clumsily tackled by Emerson Royal. The Brazilian, who had been the Ballon d’Or runner-up just days earlier, calmly converted the spot-kick with a cheeky Panenka, sending Maignan the wrong way. Despite the equalizer, Madrid failed to capitalize on the momentum, and Milan would later restore their lead and secure a 3-1 win, leaving Ancelotti and his side with more questions than answers.