Álvaro Morata silences Bernabéu as Milan capitalize on Real Madrid malaise | Champions League

For a brief moment, you wondered if it could happen again. Eight minutes before the game between the clubs that have won this competition more than any other, with Real Madrid trailing 3-1, Antonio Rüdiger directed a shot into the net that could have sounded like a bugle, a call to arms , a madness that gripped him again and ushered in another wild finale. This time, however, there was no comeback and no epic, just reality. Justice too. Rüdiger was offside, the goal was canceled and Milan secured a thoroughly deserved victory.

Goals from Malick Thiaw, the extraordinary Tijjani Reijnders and Spanish captain Álvaro Morata – of course – secured Milan a much-needed victory and handed Madrid their first Champions League defeat here since Chelsea's 3-2 win in April 2022. Even then They came back and progressed and ended the season as one of the most wonderful champions of all time. Here there was no such happiness, no such reaction. No noise, no awakening and no complaint. At least not from the players.

On the night that Carlo Ancelotti equaled Alex Ferguson as the man with the most games in Europe, his sluggish, slow and seemingly invincible team was outplayed. Milan, apparently struggling and their own manager teetering on the brink, were magnificent, especially Christian Pulisic, and the evening ended with thousands of their fans singing loudly high up in the North Stand. Meanwhile, Madrid's fans just whistled and made their way to the exits. Not only had they been beaten; It was a sluggishness that angered fans here and made the visitors' work unexpectedly easy.

Milan had found their way around the Bernabéu pitch with seeming ease, getting largely unchallenged through the midfield, where Morata came in to add an extra man and Reijnders strode through wide spaces. The ball didn't even have to move particularly quickly to get from player to player because the white jerseys arrived late, if they arrived at all. The two goals that gave them a half-time lead reflected this indifference. It only took Milan 11 minutes to take the lead. A lovely ball from Morata, struck with the outside of his foot, took Rafael Leão to the left past Lucas Vázquez and he won a corner which Pulisic delivered for Thiaw to head.

So often it seems as if Madrid need something to fight against in order to shake things up, and their reaction was almost immediate: just 19 seconds after the restart, Kylian Mbappé made a sharp save from Mike Maignan. Then, in the 10th minute, Vinícius Júnior was blocked by Emerson Royal and awarded a penalty, which he gently fired into the net. Madrid were level and a moment later Rüdiger beat Pulisic, a moment that sometimes makes this place cheer. And yet this was not the revival many had imagined.

Instead, Milan pushed through with three corners per minute, highlighting how far and how easily they were allowed to move. Theo Hernández was allowed to run first and fire a blocked shot. Andriy Lunin then made an impressive save against Reijnders. Milan fought their way through the midfield and when Pulisic led another calmly constructed attack, they got the second attack. The American found Leão, who turned and shot near the penalty spot. Lunin saved, but Morata was able to score.

It had to be him. He had been booed, shouted “Morata, how bad are you?” – not bad at all – but there was no exuberant celebration. Instead, he put his finger on his lip – perhaps silence or a nod to Movember – and then raised a V in support of Valencia, which fell victim to the worst floods ever to hit Spain last week.

Eduardo Camavinga and Brahim Díaz were substituted at half-time and Dani Ceballos would follow not long after, but that made no difference. Not even the atmosphere; There was no roar, no attack, no smell of blood. Instead, it was Milan who scored again.

First, Lunin brilliantly parried Leão's header after Yunus Musah flew up the right and crossed. Then the towering Pulisic broke away from Rüdiger and ran into the wide space in front of him, which opened up to the Madrid goal; He went 60, 70 yards before finding Leão, who missed the opportunity. And after Jude Bellingham fired a shot over the goal and Mbappé shot wide, Milan scored their third goal.

Again it was Reijnders who led them onto the pitch, with the substitution already starting with Maignan; Again, the challenges, if you could even call them that, were met with ease, two men rolling not once but twice. As the ball passed to Leão, who advanced down the left, the Dutchman continued his run into the penalty area and steered past Lunin. There was still time for Madrid, they don't usually need much, but when Rüdiger was ruled out for offside, the revival, if there ever was one, was over and Milan's fans were the last to celebrate.