Milan suffered a late heartbreak at the San Siro as Atletico Madrid came from behind to eke out a 2-1 victory in an enthralling Champions League fixture on Tuesday. Despite the Serie A giants’ heroic performance, playing a man down for over an hour eventually proved as tall order against a star-studded Los Rojiblancos side.
Proud of the performance, there'll be luckier nights ?
— AC Milan (@acmilan) September 28, 2021
Fieri della prestazione, vivremo notti più fortunate ?#MilanAtleti #SempreMilan #UCL pic.twitter.com/aH1Kyeswex
Proud of the performance, there'll be luckier nights ?
— AC Milan (@acmilan) September 28, 2021
Fieri della prestazione, vivremo notti più fortunate ?#MilanAtleti #SempreMilan #UCL pic.twitter.com/aH1Kyeswex
Rafael Leao slotted the ball home in the 20th minute to open the scoring. Brahim Diaz showed great composure and technique to keep the ball surrounded by several Atletico players before passing it to the ex-Lille forward. Completely unmarked at the edge of the box, the 22-year-old had enough time to pick his spot and give Milan a well-deserved lead.
The action was back and forth, but it was Atletico to benefit from a neck-and-neck battle in the center of the park. The critical moment of the game took place in the 29th minute. Franck Kessie’s reckless challenge on Marcos Llorente earned him a second yellow in 14 minutes. The Ivorian’s expulsion left Milan high and dry, forcing Stefano Pioli’s side to defend a slender lead for over an hour.
With Kessie out of the frame, Pioli opted for perhaps a premature defensive-minded sub to keep things tight and congested in the midfield. Ante Rebic, who picked up a yellow around the half-hour mark, surrendered his place to Sandro Tonali in the 34th minute as part of Milan’s efforts to endure Atletico’s siege.
Atlético are the kings of extra time again ? pic.twitter.com/1JMqOeB10m
— 433 (@433) September 28, 2021
Meanwhile, Pioli’s counterpart Diego Simeone tried to shake things up a bit already in the first half by withdrawing right-back Kieran Trippier in favor of Joao Felix in the 40th minute. However, Milan’s brave display allowed the Spaniards very few opportunities to sniff around Mike Maignan’s goal.
Yet, Luis Suarez squandered a top-notch chance to restore the stalemate on the stroke of half-time, sending his close-range half-volley a whisker wide of the left post. The Uruguay international had another glorious opportunity to draw Atletico level, but he misdirected his header from point-blank range nine minutes into the second half.
Despite being a man down, Milan had several decent counter-attacks through tireless Theo Hernandez but failed to capitalize on any of them. Atletico’s relentless pressure paid off in the 84th minute, as second-half substitute Antoine Griezmann hammered his powerful first-time effort into the bottom left corner. The Frenchman, who returned to Madrid from Barcelona on the deadline day, scored his first goal for Los Colchoneros this season despite barely influencing the game beforehand.
84'—Griezmann scores his first goal since his return to Atletico
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 28, 2021
90+7'—Suarez scores his first away goal in the UCL since 2015
Atleti left it LATE to beat Milan ? pic.twitter.com/zImFo4i23A
Only a minute later, the Rossoneri nearly reclaimed the lead through Alessandro Florenzi, whose outrageous half-volley went inches away off the right post.
Just when it seemed that Milan could walk away with a hard-earned point, Cuneyt Cakir had another agonizing call go against Pioli’s side. The Turkish referee awarded a last-gasp penalty for Atletico after the ball juggled between the arms of Pierre Kalulu and Thomas Lemar. Composed as ever, Suarez made no mistake from the spot to upset the San Siro in the 97th minute and give his side an all-important three points.
?⚪️ Luis Suárez scores away from home in a Champions League match for first time since September 2015 ⚽️#UCL pic.twitter.com/GQ7vbXzGD3
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 28, 2021
Milan have now lost both of their opening matches in this season’s Champions League group stage despite enjoying a slim half-time lead on each occasion. Going into the third-round fixture against Porto, the Rossoneri trail Group B toppers by six points and look well off the pace in the top-two race.
As for Atletico, they now have four points from two matches, as they seem to be on course of making it out of the group stage for the fourth season running.
MATCH SCORECARD
September 28, 2021 – Champions League 2021-2022 Group B
MILAN – ATLETICO MADRID 1-2
SCORERS: 19′ Rafael Leao (M), 84′ Griezmann (A), 96′ Suarez (A, pen.)
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MILAN (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Romagnoli, Hernandez; Kessié, Bennacer (80′ Florenzi); Saelemaekers (81′ Kalulu), Brahim Diaz (56′ Ballo-Touré), Rafael Leao (56′ Giroud); Rebic (34′ Tonali) (Tatarusanu, Jungdal, Maldini, Gabbia) Coach: Pioli |
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ATLETICO MADRID (3-5-2): Oblak; Gimenez, Felipe, Hermoso (46′ Renan Lodi); Trippier (39′ Joao Felix), Kondogbia (63′ Lemar), Koke (61′ Griezmann), Llorente, Carrasco (46′ De Paul); Correa, Suarez (Lecomte, Christian, Herrera, Cunha, Vrsaljiko, Camus) Coach: Simeone |
REFEREE: Cakir (Turkey)
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Rebic, Hernandez, Saelemaekers (M), Kondogbia (A); Red Card: Kessié (M); Added Time: 1st Half 1′, 2nd Half 6′