You've probably seen the scoreline by now. 3-1. On paper, it looks like a routine night at the San Siro for a European giant. But if you actually sat through the 90 minutes of Milan vs Club Brugge, you know that "routine" is the last word anyone would use to describe it.
Honestly, the Belgians came out like they owned the place. For the first 20 minutes, the Rossoneri looked like they were running through mud while Christos Tzolis and Ferran Jutglà played target practice with Mike Maignan's goal. If Maignan isn't one of the best in the world right now, I don't know who is. He basically kept Milan in the game before they even realized the whistle had blown.
The Olimpico that changed everything
Then came the 34th minute. Christian Pulisic.
The guy is having a career year, but nobody expected a goal directly from a corner. An "Olimpico." It wasn't even one of those where a defender accidentally nicks it in. It just curled, teased the air, and died in the back of the net. Simon Mignolet—who’s seen it all in the Premier League and for Belgium—looked completely stranded.
But here is where the Milan vs Club Brugge narrative gets weird.
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Just six minutes later, Raphael Onyedika gets sent off. A straight red after a VAR check for a nasty challenge on Tijjani Reijnders. Down to 10 men, at the San Siro, trailing 1-0? Game over, right?
Wrong.
Why 10-man Brugge actually terrified Milan
Most teams fold when they lose a midfielder and a goal in the same half. Brugge didn't. In fact, they started the second half looking like they had the extra man.
Kyriani Sabbe, a substitute who probably didn't expect to be the hero of the night, smashed home an equalizer in the 51st minute. The San Siro went silent. You could feel the "here we go again" vibes radiating off the Milan fans. It was a tactical mess for Paulo Fonseca's side for about ten minutes there.
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The Tijjani Reijnders masterclass
This is where Fonseca earned his paycheck. He saw Rafael Leão struggling to influence things and pulled him off. People were shocked. Leão wasn't happy. But the subs—Noah Okafor and Samuel Chukwueze—changed the entire geometry of the pitch.
- 61st minute: Okafor skins his man on the left, cuts it back, and Reijnders is there. 2-1.
- 71st minute: Chukwueze does the exact same thing on the right, and Reijnders is there again. 3-1.
Reijnders is becoming the heartbeat of this team. He doesn't just pass; he arrives. His timing is kind of impeccable lately. He’s gone from a "neat and tidy" midfielder to a genuine goal threat in the box, and that's the jump Milan needed to finally get their first three points of this Champions League campaign.
The heartbreak of Francesco Camarda
We have to talk about the kid.
Francesco Camarda came on at 16 years old. He headed the ball into the net in the 87th minute and the stadium absolutely erupted. He took his shirt off, he was crying, his mom was crying in the stands. It was the "moment" of the season.
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Then VAR stepped in. Offside.
The goal was chalked off, he got a yellow card for the celebration, and the history books had to wait. It was brutal to watch, but honestly? It’s probably better for him. Keeps the hunger alive. He’s already the youngest player in Serie A history; he’ll get his European goal soon enough.
What this means for the Champions League table
Before this game, Milan were staring at a dark hole with zero points. This win puts them back in the conversation for the knockout rounds.
Brugge, on the other hand, will feel robbed. They played better with 10 men than most teams do with 11. Hans Vanaken was still pulling strings in the middle of the park until the very end, proving why he’s a legend in the Belgian Pro League. They have 3 points from their win against Sturm Graz, but they'll need more grit to survive this league phase.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the subs: Fonseca has shown he isn't afraid to bench his stars (Leão) if the work rate isn't there. If you're betting or scouting, pay attention to the tactical shifts around the 60-minute mark.
- Pulisic is the focal point: Everything Milan does well right now goes through the American. He’s not just a winger anymore; he’s their primary creator.
- Reijnders' positioning: He’s playing higher up than he did under Pioli. Look for him to continue making those late runs into the box in domestic play too.
- Brugge's resilience: Don't sleep on them in their upcoming home games. Their structure, even when a man down, is elite.
Next time these two meet, don't just look at the names on the back of the jerseys. Look at the tactical discipline Brugge brings—and the individual moments of magic Milan relies on to break it.