Malick Thiaw opened the scoring for Milan in the 12th minute with a powerful header off a pinpoint corner from Christian Pulisic. But Madrid quickly equalized when Emerson Royal fouled Vinicius Junior in the box, allowing Vinicius to score the penalty and level the game.
Milan regained the lead before halftime when former Madrid striker Alvaro Morata pounced on a rebound from Rafael Leao’s shot, slotting it in from close range. Leao was crucial in Milan’s third goal as well, setting up Tijjani Reijnders with a sharp cutback to secure a statement win at the Bernabeu.
### Data Insights: Milan Shines at the Bernabeu
After dropping their first two Champions League matches, Milan made a big statement with this win over Madrid. Morata’s return to his former club was impactful once again, as he’s scored in all three of his Champions League games against Madrid, including previous goals with Juventus in 2014-15.
Pulisic also continued his excellent form, contributing to 11 goals across all competitions this season (seven goals, four assists). Among Serie A players, only Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui and Ademola Lookman have been involved in more.
This match also marked a rare moment for Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, who has now lost back-to-back home games for the first time since May 2021, when he was at Everton.
