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Champions League Defeats: Madrid Humiliated, City Crashes
Two european heavyweights’ Champions League Defeats are in air. It’s very unusual moment in the football. But in football everything is happen.
AC Milan thrashed Madrid 3-1 at home as City, already eliminated from qualification, lost 4-1 at Sporting Lisbon with Erling Haaland missing a penalty. Real Madrid and Manchester City had serious defeats in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Madrid, which had won last season’s title, was humbled 3-1 at home by AC Milan. Erling Haaland missed a penalty, and City squandered a fourth-minute lead after relinquishing a 1-0 lead in a 4-1 loss at Sporting Lisbon, whose coach will soon run rival Moreirense.
It was a much better evening for Liverpool as Luis Diaz put on a hat trick. At the same time, Cody Gakpo got another 4-0 win over German champion Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield, where Xabi Alonso returned to his former home.
In a rare return to the club that made him famous as a player over five seasons between 2004-09, the Leverkusen coach received a warm welcome. Alonso won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005.
Liverpool went top of the table in the league phase after four wins from four games, one ahead of Sporting and Monaco on 10 points (both on three wins and a draw). Under the new 36-team format UEFA has introduced this season, the top eight enter the next round directly, with the ninth to 24th going into playoffs and the bottom 12 eliminated.
Amorim’s Farewell: Sporting Dominates City 4-1
Sporting fans showcased a massive tifo in honor of Rúben Amorim during his last home game before taking over at Manchester United. The match began with Phil Foden scoring for Manchester City in the fourth minute, marking only the second goal Sporting had conceded in four Champions League matches.
However, Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres led a remarkable comeback for Sporting, equalizing in the 38th minute after receiving a precise through ball from Geovany Quenda. Maximiliano Araújo then put Sporting ahead shortly after halftime, and Gyökeres extended the lead to 3-1 with a penalty after Joško Gvardiol fouled Francisco Trincão.
Erling Haaland had a chance to reduce the deficit with a penalty but hit the crossbar. Gyökeres later sealed his hat trick with another penalty, bringing the final score to 4-1. This defeat marked Manchester City’s third consecutive loss, following defeats to Tottenham in the League Cup and Bournemouth in the Premier League.
In my seven and a half years at the club, I don’t recall losing three games in a row,” City player Bernardo Silva remarked.
Morata Haunts Madrid as Milan Dominates
In a thrilling Champions League clash at the Santiago Bernabéu, AC Milan took an early lead when Malick Thiaw headed home from a corner delivered by Christian Pulisic in the 12th minute. It marked the third consecutive match in which Real Madrid found themselves trailing, having already suffered a defeat to Lille earlier in the tournament.
Vinícius Júnior quickly responded for Madrid, equalizing from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute after being fouled in the box. However, Álvaro Morata, playing against his former club, restored Milan’s lead shortly thereafter by capitalizing on a rebound from Andriy Lunin’s save of Rafael Leão’s shot.
Morata was met with a hostile reception from the home crowd, who vividly remembered his decisive goal that sent Juventus to the 2015 final at their expense. The match saw further frustration for Madrid’s fans as Tijjani Reijnders netted Milan’s third goal, intensifying the discontent among the home supporters as they watched their team struggle to regain control of the game.
The previous two defeats are incomprehensible. We need to assess and respond swiftly,” Lunin added, referring to Madrid’s 4-0 loss to Barcelona in the last Spanish league game.
According to Opta, this is the first time Madrid has lost two consecutive home games with at least three goals surrendered since 2009.
“We have to get back on track,” Lunin remarked.
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My name is Krishanu Das the founder of the Sports Dribble.
I am Accountant by profession but a Sports Blogger by passion.
I am passionate about sharing my all knowledge and experiences of sports, with my readers and every sports enthusiast.
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