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 of these wild finales. This time, however, there was no comeback and no epic, just reality. Justice too. Rüdiger was offside and the goal was ruled out. The illusion only lasted as long as the VAR control, meaning Milan were on their way to a thoroughly deserved win.

Goals from Malick Thiaw, the extraordinary Tijjani Reijnders and the tireless Spanish captain Álvaro Morata – of course – secured Milan a much-needed win and handed Madrid their first Champions League defeat here since Chelsea's 3-2 win in April 2022. Already That's when Madrid came from 3-0 down and came through and became one of the most wonderful champions of all time; here there was no such happiness, no such reaction. No noise, no revival and no hiding from the truth. “We have to be worried,” admitted Carlo Ancelotti. “We’re missing something.”

Without Andriy Lunin, Milan's lead would have been even greater, an extraordinary close-range stop from Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the final minute, perhaps the best of six saves. In 20 years, no one has come here and taken more shots on goal. On the night Ancelotti equaled Alex Ferguson for most games as a manager in European Cups, his slow and desperately disorganized team was outplayed. Milan, who were said to be struggling and their coach on the sidelines, were great, especially Christian Pulisic. Long after the final whistle, the Italian fans were still captivated, but they didn't care; Instead they sang.

Madrid had long since blown the whistle and headed for the exits. Not only had they been beaten; It was a sluggishness that angered fans and made the visitors' job unexpectedly, almost shockingly easy. Milan played around the Bernabéu pitch and advanced largely safely through the midfield, where Morata was used as a passer and Reijnders ran freely. The ball didn't even have to move particularly quickly from player to player, the white jerseys came late if at all, the tackles were weak or non-existent – the two goals that gave Milan the lead at half-time are a picture of this.

It had only taken them 11 minutes to take the lead. A lovely ball from Morata, struck with the outside of his foot, took Rafael Leão past Lucas Vázquez on the left and he won a corner against Éder Militão. Pulisic brought Thiaw to the header without having to jump.

So often it seems as if Madrid need something to fight against in order to move, and their response was almost immediate: Kylian Mbappé made a sharp save from Mike Maignan 19 seconds after the restart, before Vinícius Júnior won and in the 23rd minute converted a penalty. And yet, as it turned out, this was not the revival many had imagined, the usual story of the usual suspects.

Instead, Milan pushed through with three corners per minute, highlighting how far and how easily they were allowed to move. Theo Hernández reached the edge of the penalty area and fired a shot. Lunin parried Reijnders impressively. And when Pulisic led another calmly constructed attack and Milan prevailed again, the second came. Pulisic found Leão, who turned to shoot near the penalty spot, and although Lunin parried, Morata parried the rebound.

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. He put his finger around his lip – perhaps silence or a nod to Movember – and then raised a V in support of flood victims in Valencia.

Eduardo Camavinga and Brahim Díaz came on at half-time and Dani Ceballos followed not long after, but it made no difference. Not even the atmosphere; There was no roar, no smell of blood, no faith. Instead, Milan continued to control it. First, Lunin brilliantly parried Leão's header. Then Pulisic broke away from Rüdiger and ran free, opening up the path to the Madrid goal; He went 60, 70 yards before finding Leão, who missed the opportunity. And while Jude Bellingham then fired a shot over the goal and Mbappé shot wide, Milan soon scored their third goal.

Again it was Reijnders who led them, and the move had already begun with Maignan; Here too the challenges, if you can call them that, were met with ease, two men rolling not once but twice. A one-two with Leão and the Dutchman burst into the penalty area to get past Lunin. There was still time for Madrid – they don't need much, after all – but when Rüdiger was offside, the revival, if there ever was one, was over. When Maignan saved from Díaz, it was too late even for her. “It will be a very long night,” said Ancelotti. For the Milanistas They were still celebrating in an empty, conquered stadium, and it was theirs.