Real Madrid's Champions League struggles continued with a 3-1 home loss to AC Milan, as Christian Pulisic's creativity and Rafael Leao's playmaking exposed Madrid’s defense. Despite Vinicius Jr.'s penalty equalizer, Madrid’s attack faltered, and coach Carlo Ancelotti’s tactics faced scrutiny amid growing doubts about their title defense.
Real Madrid’s recent Champions League outing ended in a disappointing 3-1 loss to AC Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu, marking their second group-stage defeat this season. The defending champions struggled to contain Milan's attack, with Christian Pulisic leading a confident Milan side that capitalized on Real's defensive lapses.
Milan opened the scoring early, with Pulisic’s corner finding Malick Thiaw, who headed in the first goal. Real Madrid briefly rallied when Vinicius Jr. converted a penalty after Emerson Royal fouled him, leveling the score. However, just before halftime, Alvaro Morata restored Milan’s lead by pouncing on a rebound after Rafael Leao’s powerful shot was saved by Andriy Lunin.
Madrid attempted to counter in the second half, but their defense remained exposed, allowing Milan to strike again. Leao exploited gaps down the wing, setting up Tijjani Reijnders to widen Milan’s lead to 3-1. Madrid’s struggles were further compounded when Antonio Rudiger’s late strike was disallowed by VAR due to a narrow offside.
Kylian Mbappe, leading Madrid’s attack alongside Vinicius, had a quiet night, as Milan’s defense effectively neutralized his efforts. Coach Carlo Ancelotti’s tactics faced criticism, as his team appeared vulnerable on the counterattack and lacked creative solutions in the final third. With this loss, Real Madrid’s path in the Champions League has grown increasingly challenging, leaving fans and analysts questioning the team's current form and their hopes for a title defense.
