Milan Stun Real Madrid at the Bernabeu with a Dominant 3-1 Victory

In an unforgettable night at the Santiago Bernabeu, AC Milan secured a significant 3-1 victory over Real Madrid, demonstrating their resilience and tactical sharpness. Stefano Fonseca's side took advantage of key moments and defensive errors to deliver a masterclass in counter-attacking football, holding off a relentless Real Madrid side who controlled much of the possession but struggled to convert their chances.

The scoring opened early in the first half, when Malick Thiaw rose to meet a well-placed corner from Christian Pulisic, heading the ball past a static Madrid defense to give Milan the lead. The hosts, however, were quick to respond. After Vinicius Jr. was brought down by Emerson in the box, he confidently stepped up to the penalty spot and deftly chipped the ball over Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, bringing Real Madrid level before halftime.

Despite Madrid’s equalizer, Milan never lost their composure. Moments before the halftime whistle, the Rossoneri capitalized on a mistake by Aurelien Tchouameni, whose misplaced pass was intercepted and driven into the box, where Alvaro Morata was waiting to strike. The Spanish forward fired home from close range, giving Milan a crucial lead and shocking the Madrid faithful.

The second half saw Madrid intensify their offensive pressure, determined to find an equalizer. Carlo Ancelotti’s side dominated possession, amassing an impressive 2.44 expected goals throughout the game. However, despite their high shot volume and consistent pressing, they struggled to crack Milan's disciplined defense. Milan's center-backs, led by Thiaw and Simon Kjaer, held firm, blocking shots and closing down space to thwart Madrid's attempts.

Milan, meanwhile, were also creating chances and ended the game with 2.45 expected goals of their own. The breakthrough came after some dazzling footwork from Rafael Leao on the left wing, who bypassed two defenders and squared the ball for Tijjani Reijnders. The Dutch midfielder finished clinically, putting the game beyond Madrid’s reach with Milan’s third goal.

This victory pushes Milan to 18th place, one spot behind Real Madrid, who now sit 17th with six points. Madrid's next challenge will be against Liverpool at Anfield, where they face another tough test. Milan, on the other hand, will look to build on this success as they prepare to take on Slovan Bratislava later this month.

For now, the Rossoneri can bask in the glow of a hard-fought victory, one that displayed their defensive resilience, tactical maturity, and offensive prowess against one of Europe's toughest teams.