A catastrophic mistake by AC Milan’s French goalkeeper Mike Maignan handed troubled Dutch side Feyenoord a precious 1-0 advantage after the first leg of the Champions League play-offs Wednesday.
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The surprise win was a welcome tonic for Feyenoord, who came into the match in disarray after axing manager Brian Priske less than 48 hours before the game.
In driving Rotterdam rain, the crowd had barely settled from the raucous pre-match singalong when the hosts took the lead thanks to Maignan’s inexplicable howler.
With only three minutes on the clock, Feyenoord’s Brazilian winger Igor Paixao cut in from the left and fired a speculative shot along the sodden turf.
The strike should never even have troubled the French international keeper but he somehow failed to collect it cleanly and it ricocheted off his body into the top corner.
Buoyed by a feverish atmosphere inside De Kuip, the Dutch side had the better of the opening exchanges, winning most of the 50-50 balls and adapting well to the slow surface.
Seven-time European champions AC Milan in contrast were sloppy and could not match the work rate of the home side.
Paixao was causing chaos with scything runs down the left-wing and saw a curling shot glance off the bar just before the break, with Maignan well beaten.
Defensively solid and Paixao in particular dangerous in attack, the unfancied hosts were good value for their 1-0 half-time lead, showing interim boss Pascal Bosschaart plenty of heart and commitment.
The second half lacked clear-cut chances until the 71st minute when the outstanding Paixao dispossessed England’s Kyle Walker and nearly scored with a lob from the halfway line.
Milan had one of their first meaningful shots on target when substitute Samuel Chukwueze tried his luck from distance but could only find Feyenoord keeper Timon Wellenreuther.
The one goal proved enough on the night for Feyenoord to take the upper hand back to Milan, who will need to show far more penetration in the return leg at the San Siro on February 18.
The match was a disappointing homecoming for AC Milan’s new striker Santiago Gimenez, who had only left De Kuip two weeks earlier after two and a half years and 65 goals in 105 appearances.
The visitors lacked bite up front in general and Gimenez was largely anonymous until he was substituted on 82 minutes, receiving a warm ovation from the Feyenoord fans.
Feyenoord will be hoping a win over AC Milan could herald the start of something special.
In the only previous European meeting between the two, the Rotterdam club took out the Italian giants in their run to their only European Cup title, in 1969-1970.
Awaiting the winner will be a clash with either Inter Milan or Arsenal.
– Bayern sink Celtic to seize control of Champions League playoff –
Bayern Munich took a major step towards the Champions League last 16 as Michael Olise’s thunderbolt and Harry Kane’s clinical finish secured a 2-1 win at Celtic in the playoff round first leg on Wednesday.
Vincent Kompany’s side dominated the first half and a stunning strike from Olise gave them a deserved lead before Kane maintained his red-hot scoring streak after the interval.
Daizen Maeda netted in the closing stages to give Scottish champions Celtic hope of a miraculous escape act in the second leg.
The Japan forward was only playing after his two-game ban was unexpectedly reduced on appeal this week following his red card against Young Boys.
But Bundesliga leaders Bayern will still be favourites to advance to the last 16 when Celtic visit Munich on February 18.
Celtic finished just three points behind Bayern in the league phase, yet there is a huge gulf between the clubs’ European pedigree.
Six-time European champions Bayern lead the Bundesliga by eight points, while Celtic are attempting to reach the last 16 for the first time since 2012-13.
For the first 70 minutes that chasm in quality was clear to see before Bayern eased up in the closing stages, nearly allowing Celtic back into the tie as a result.
Celtic’s first defeat in 33 home matches across all competitions was a welcome confidence boost for Bayern, who had shown a weakness on the road in league phase defeats at Barcelona, Aston Villa and Feyenoord.
Celtic thought they had preyed on that weakness when former Bayern forward Nicolas Kuhn fired home from 20 yards inside the first minute, only for the goal to be disallowed for off-side against Adam Idah.
Bayern could have been swept away by the tidal wave of noise cascading down from the Parkhead stands.
But Kompany’s men are too experienced for that and they quickly seized control with a steady diet of possession.
– Predatory Kane –
Olise nearly put Bayern ahead with a powerful strike that forced Kasper Schmeichel to save at his near post.
Schmeichel was forced into action again moments later as Kane’s curler was pushed away by the Dane.
Bayern were camped on the edge of the Celtic area as they probed for an opener. Kane should have broken the deadlock when he nodded Olise’s corner into the side-netting from close-range.
But the England captain’s blushes were spared by Olise on the stroke of half-time.
Cutting inside Greg Taylor to reach Dayot Upamecano’s long pass, Olise unleashed a blistering drive that arrowed into the top corner from 15 yards.
It was no more than Bayern deserved for their territorial dominance and the Germans struck again four minutes after the interval.
Joshua Kimmich’s corner swung all the way to the far post without a Celtic clearance and the unmarked Kane guided a composed volley past Schmeichel from five yards.
Kane’s typically predatory finish took his season tally to 29 goals in 29 games in all competitions.
Upamecano’s challenge on Arne Engels prompted a long VAR check for a potential penalty, but Celtic’s appeal was correctly rejected.
That was the signal for Celtic to mount a late bid to haul themselves back into the tie.
Bayern had grown increasingly sloppy and Rodgers’ men earned their lifeline in the 79th minute when Maeda met Yang Hyun-Jun’s shot with a header from virtually on the line.
Kompany’s men had to cling on for dear life in the final minutes, with Manuel Neuer producing a crucial save to deny Alistair Johnston.
The English champions did snap a five-game losing streak but did little to boost confidence ahead of Sunday’s trip to Premier League leaders Liverpool by conceding three times in the final 15 minutes.
Pep Guardiola admitted his star-studded squad were “fragile” and lacking in confidence after the worst run of his managerial career, while a shock stat was exposed.
We lost a lot of games lately, we are fragile and of course, we need a victory,” he said to Prime Video.
“The game was good for the confidence, we were playing at a good level and then for the first time something happened, we have problems.”
Manchester City became the first team in the history of the Champions League to be leading by three goals as late as the 75th minute, before failing to win.
Two goals from Erling Haaland, either side of Ilkay Gundogan’s deflected effort, looked set to restore some order for City.
But the defensive frailties that have been the root cause for a staggering collapse in recent weeks was exposed in the closing stages.
Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko hit back to salvage a vital point for the Dutch giants.
A draw leaves City with plenty of work to do to reach the knockout stages with trips to Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain to come in their next two Champions League games.
Only the top eight progress directly to the last 16 with a place in the top 24 of the 36-team table enough to reach the playoff round.
City drop to 15th on eight points from five matches, just one point ahead of Feyenoord in 20th.
Guardiola reacted to a first home defeat for two years in a 4-0 humbling by Tottenham on Saturday by making three changes.
Jack Grealish, Matheus Nunes and Nathan Ake came into the starting line-up but it still took City time to find their rhythm.
Nerves around a far from full Etihad Stadium were frayed when Igor Paixao wasted a big chance to give the Dutch giants the lead.
Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between Manchester City and Feyenoord at City of Manchester Stadium on November 26, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Instead, City got the break they needed when Haaland was fouled inside the box from a corner.
The Norwegian missed from the penalty spot in City’s 4-1 thrashing by Sporting Lisbon last time out in the Champions League.
This time Haaland was clinical and smashed the ball into the net in relieving his frustrations of recent weeks.
Gundogan’s volley from the edge of the box that deflected in off Hancko gave City breathing space early in the second half.
Haaland then slid in to meet Nunes’ cross for his 46th Champions League goal in 44 appearances in the competition to seemingly put City on easy street.
But there was a sting in the tail for the home side after Josko Gvardiol’s slack backpass allowed Moussa in to round Ederson and fire in from a narrow angle.
Guardiola held his head in his hands in response and worse was to come when Ederson failed to deal with Jordan Lotomba’s near-post effort and the ball fell kindly for Gimenez to make it 3-2.
More kamikaze defending gifted Feyenoord an equaliser as Rico Lewis played Paixao onside. He eased around the onrushing Ederson and crossed for Hancko to head into an unguarded net.
City have now conceded two or more goals in six consecutive games for the first time since 1963.
There was still time for more drama as Grealish’s shot came back off the crossbar in City’s search for a late winner.
Instead they had to settle for a point that will feel just as damaging as the previous five defeats for a side so used to winning.
ARSENAL’S RUTHLESS ROUT
Arsenal extended their revival with a ruthless 5-1 rout of Sporting Lisbon to bolster their bid to reach the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday.
Mikel Arteta’s side ended a three-match winless run in all competitions by beating Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League last weekend.
And the Gunners built on that success with an even more dynamic display at the Jose Alvalade stadium.
Gabriel Martinelli gave Arsenal an early lead and Kai Havertz increased their advantage before Gabriel Magalhaes struck just before halftime.
Goncalo Inacio got one back for Sporting, but Bukayo Saka’s penalty underlined the gulf in class between the teams.
Leandro Trossard netted late on to give Arsenal five away goals in a Champions League game for the first time since 2008.
Arsenal’s third win in five Champions League matches this season lifted them into seventh place, with the top eight teams in the revamped tournament earning automatic qualification for the last 16.
Sporting’s first defeat in Europe’s elite club competition this season leaves them below Arsenal on goal difference.
Arsenal are nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after their dip, but this swaggering effort suggested they are finally back in the groove.
Arteta had challenged Arsenal to make a statement against Sporting and they responded in emphatic fashion.
The north Londoners’ first away win in the Champions League in six attempts was a welcome tonic after a 1-0 loss at Inter Milan in their last European fixture.
Arsenal’s impressive performance was all the more notable as Sporting had crushed Manchester City 4-1 in their final Champions League game under Ruben Amorim, who has since taken charge of Manchester United.
Joao Pereira has replaced Amorim as Sporting boss but he was unable to maintain their unbeaten start to the season as the Portuguese champions were defeated for the first time in 19 games in all competitions.
Thomas Partey of Arsenal celebrates victory with teammate Bukayo Saka after the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between Sporting Clube de Portugal and Arsenal FC at Estadio Jose Alvalade on November 26, 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It took just seven minutes for Martinelli to put Arsenal ahead. Jurrien Timber’s low cross was perfectly weighted and the Brazilian slid in to apply the finish inside the six-yard box.
In stark contrast to City’s capitulation at Sporting earlier in November, Arteta’s men were in complete command.
They picked the Sporting defence apart again in the 22nd minute as Thomas Partey’s incisive pass picked out Saka’s run beyond the hosts’ creaky off-side trap.
Saka guided a pinpoint pass into the Sporting area and Havertz timed his run immaculately to slot home from close range.
Sporting finally forced a save from David Raya when 17-year-old Geovany Quenda unleashed a fierce strike that the Arsenal keeper tipped over.
But Gabriel bagged his first Champions League goal on the stroke of halftime. Arsenal’s set-piece prowess was on show as the Brazilian defender rose highest to power his header past Franco Israel from Declan Rice’s inswinging corner.
Gabriel marked the goal with a cheeky celebration as he mimicked the eye-covering gesture used by Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres when he scores.
That inflammatory gesture briefly woke Sporting from their slumber and Inacio reduced the deficit two minutes after halftime.
Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori went to sleep at a corner and Inacio took advantage to volley past Raya from close range.
Sporting needed another goal quickly to put Arsenal under genuine pressure, but instead it was the visitors who struck again in the 65th minute.
Ousmane Diomande’s lunge tripped Martin Odegaard in the area and Saka drilled his penalty into the corner of the net.
Trossard put the seal on Arsenal’s demolition job in the 82nd minute, nodding home after Israel spilt Mikel Merino’s shot.
BAYERN BEST 10-MAN PSG
A first-half header from Kim Min-jae guided Bayern Munich to a 1-0 home win over Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, damaging the French side’s hopes of progressing in the Champions League.
The centre-back scored after an error from PSG goalkeeper Matvei Safonov, starting ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma, who spilt the ball into Kim’s path.
The South Korean’s effort was enough to decide the rematch of the 2020 Champions League final — won by Bayern by the same scoreline — and all but extinguishes PSG’s hopes of a top-eight finish and avoiding the playoff round.
Ousmane Dembele picked up a second yellow for an unnecessary challenge with half an hour remaining, with Bayern successfully shutting up shop as a result.
“It was an extremely intense game,” Leon Goretzka said to Amazon Prime. “You could see in the starting XI they were going to try and hold onto the ball and to test us with their pressing — and we pushed to the end and it’s nice we could be rewarded.” With just three games remaining, even making the knockouts is not a given for the French champions, who are in 26th spot — two outside the playoff placings.
PSG host Manchester City in January along with facing tricky away trips to Red Bull Salzburg and Stuttgart.
Bayern’s top-eight hopes look rosier after the win, which extended their run of clean sheets to seven straight games in all competitions.
Bayern now sit 11th and take on relative European minnows Shakhtar Donetsk, Feyenoord and Slovan Bratislava in their remaining games.
Both sides came into the game unbeaten and six points clear in their domestic leagues but in dire need of points in Europe.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian defender #05 Marquinhos (L) and Paris Saint-Germain’s Portuguese midfielder #87 Joao Neves react after losing the UEFA Champions League, League phase – Matchday 5, football match between FC Bayern Munich Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Munich, southern Germany, on November 26, 2024. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)Source: AFP
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany opted for the speed of Leroy Sane over the creativity of France winger Michael Olise up front.
PSG boss Luis Enrique made five changes to his side but most notable was his decision to stick with goalkeeper Safonov, rather than Donnarumma, who had played all but one Champions League game this season.
Luis Enrique defended his call before the game, telling reporters: “I make my choices based on what I see on the pitch and what’s best for the team.” The decision appeared to pay off early, with Safonov responsible for good saves from Jamal Musiala and Sane inside the opening 12 minutes.
Kingsley Coman, the PSG academy product who scored the only goal in the 2020 final, almost broke the deadlock shortly afterwards, dribbling through five defenders and blasting just wide.
After PSG had a few opportunities of their own, including Joao Neves’ long-range effort whistling past the goalpost on 33 minutes, the Russian goalkeeper made a mistake which led directly to the opener.
Joshua Kimmich swung in a corner on the 38-minute mark which Safonov spilt. And Kim took advantage to power a header into the net for the first Champions League goal of his career.
Bayern were happy to let the game come to them in the second half but Dembele’s second yellow — his first had come for dissent — took the steam out of PSG’s hopes of a comeback.
Tillies already eyeing Asian Cup | 00:54
BARCELONA HIT BREST FOR THREE
Robert Lewandowski scored his 100th Champions League goal as Barcelona beat Brest 3-0 to climb provisionally second in the Champions League group standings on Tuesday.
The veteran striker slotted home from the spot in the 10th minute to fire the Catalans ahead and reach his milestone, adding a second late on after Dani Olmo’s goal to inflict the French side’s first defeat.
After dropping points in their last two outings in La Liga, coach Hansi Flick had urged his players to “eliminate” mistakes in their game and Barca produced a solid display.
They got off the mark quickly when Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot clumsily clattered into the back of Lewandowski after the forward controlled Pedri’s cross on his chest.
The striker dusted himself down and dispatched the penalty clinically to open the scoring after 10 minutes and bring up his century.
It made Lewandowski only the third player to reach that milestone in the competition, behind former Barcelona great Lionel Messi, on 129, and former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, with 140.
Under Flick, the forward’s form has improved significantly this season, reaching 22 goals in 19 appearances between La Liga and the Champions League.
The 36-year-old has made 125 Champions League appearances with Barcelona and before that German sides Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
“I am very happy, many years ago I did not think I could score more than 100 goals in the Champions League,” Lewandowski told Movistar.
“For me the most important thing is that we try to win every game, if I can score, then that’s the perfect solution.
“I don’t know how many games we have left before the end of the year but we have to win them all and rest over Christmas.” Barcelona were still without teenage star Lamine Yamal, recovering from an ankle problem, but Raphinha was busy on the right and the Catalans dominated proceedings.
They did not create many clear chances though until Fermin Lopez forced a fine save from Bizot with a diving header.
The Dutch goalkeeper made amends for his earlier mistake by denying the Spaniard with his leg.
Pedri and Gavi of FC Barcelona smile following the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between FC Barcelona and Stade Brestois 29 at Estadi Olympic Lluis Companys on November 26, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Lopez again came close early in the second half when Lewandowski put him in with a neat flick but Bizot was alert to save his low effort.
Playmaker Olmo had an effort scrambled off the line by Brendan Chardonnet as Barcelona sought to put the game to bed.
The former RB Leipzig midfielder eventually grabbed the second in the 66th minute when he received Gerard Martin’s pass in the box, showing some nifty footwork to dodge Chardonnet and beat Bizot at the near post.
Brest thumped RB Salzburg 4-0 and had dropped just two points from their first four matches despite sitting in mid-table in Ligue 1, but were brought down to earth at the Olympic Stadium.
Mathias Pereira Lage drilled home to momentarily delight nearly 3,000 travelling supporters but their joy was curtailed when the linesman raised his flag for off-side.
Barca substitute Pablo Torre should have netted Barcelona’s third when he intercepted a pass with just the goalkeeper to beat, but fired wide.
Instead the job fell to Lewandowski and he rolled home his 101st Champions League goal with aplomb, beyond Bizot’s outstretched arm.
Brest fall a few places down the table but their strong start to the campaign means they are well placed to secure at least a playoff spot, while Barcelona are aiming to reach the last 16 directly.
Flick’s side travel to last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund next, before visiting Benfica and hosting Atalanta.
The ‘Klassieker’ between bitter rivals Ajax and Feyenoord was abandoned Sunday after fans lobbed flares on the pitch in Amsterdam, with violence later erupting outside the stadium in the latest unrest to blight Dutch football.
Feyenoord had taken a 3-0 first-half lead at the Johan Cruyff Arena, sparking ugly scenes from the hardcore supporters of Ajax, who are suffering one of the worst crises in their storied 123-year history.
The unrest spilt out of the stadium, as furious Ajax fans smashed into the main entrance, prompting riot police on horseback to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The clashes were the latest in a string of violent incidents to plague Dutch football that have prompted soul-searching within the game and from politicians across the spectrum.
“If you go to a football game you also want to go with your family and you can’t go here with your family because there’s always violence,” Bryan Buffing, a communication advisor for a translation company, told AFP.
“We have a real, real big issue in the Netherlands,” said the 32-year-old.
Sunday’s match had already been suspended twice during the first half, once for flares on pitch, the other time after a cup was lobbed from the stands.
A double from Santiago Gimenez and one from Igor Paixao had given the team from Rotterdam a comfortable first-half lead.
With 55 minutes on the clock, TV images showed three flares burning on the pitch with smoke from other flares billowing from the notorious south stands of the arena, where the hardcore “F-side” fans sit.
“After the abandoned Ajax-Feyenoord game, ‘supporters’ forced their way into the entrance. Order has now been restored. Mounted police carried out several charges and deployed tear gas,” Amsterdam police said in a statement.
The coaches and players were confined to their dressing rooms over fears for their safety.
Ajax are suffering their worst start to a season since 1964/65, with only five points from four games. They currently sit 14th in the Dutch Eredivisie.
The club is in chaos off the pitch as well, with technical director Sven Mislintat sacked after the game over a potential conflict of interest in a recent transfer.
Ties between Ajax and Mislintat have been ended “with immediate effect,” the Dutch giants said, citing “the lack of broad support within the organisation” as the reason behind the decision.
Mislintat, a former Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund star scout, was under fire over the transfer this summer of Croatian international defender Borna Sosa from VfB Stuttgart — where Mislintat was once sporting director.
This transfer was facilitated by a German consultancy named AKA Global. It later emerged that AKA Global had a stake in Matchmetrics, which collates data to help scouts.
Mislintat himself has a major stake in Matchmetrics, leading Ajax to investigate a possible conflict of interest.
However, the club insisted the parting of ways was “unrelated” to its probe and thanked the 51-year-old Mislintat for his “tremendous effort” during his four-month stint at Ajax.
Interim CEO Jan van Halst said: “Several attempts to restore broad support have not led to the desired outcome. This leads to unrest in and around the club, also due to the disappointing results.”
Ajax’s director of football affairs Sven Mislintat was sacked after just five months.Source: AFP
Defending champions Feyenoord, in contrast, remain unbeaten in the top flight this season.
“This is a bitter pill to swallow,” Ajax manager Maurice Steijn told ESPN. “It may sound strange, but I thought we actually started quite well, but you can’t play football and make such childish mistakes.”
In a blog post on their website entitled: “The club is in flames”, the Ajax supporters’ association said the violence represented a “low point in the crisis of the club.”
The club itself said in a statement: “This is not behaviour that belongs at Ajax.”
“This has nothing to do with football and being a fan. You are playing with the safety of the players, fellow supporters and yourselves. Shame on you,” said Justice Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Police officers stand guard in front of Ajax’ supporters after the game.Source: AFP
Dutch authorities are battling a fresh surge in football violence, with around a dozen serious incidents last season.
In May, black-hooded AZ Alkmaar fans tried to storm the area reserved for friends and family of West Ham staff following the Hammers’ 1-0 win in the Europa Conference League semi-finals.
The ‘Klassieker’ is always a tense affair and last season, Ajax midfielder Davy Klaassen was injured on the head after a Feyenoord supporter tossed a lighter from the stands.
Other games involving Dutch first division teams including FC Utrecht, FC Twente, Go Ahead Eagles, RKC Waalwijk and Sparta Rotterdam also had to be called off due to hooliganism.
VAR call leaves Ange ‘disconsolate’ | 01:12
One game, between Ajax and Groningen, lasted a mere nine minutes before being called off with smoke bombs raining down on the pitch.
The Eredivisie could order the game replayed, with or without fans, or could hand the points to Feyenoord.
Feyenoord boss Arne Slot said that whatever happened, his team was a victim of a “distortion of competition,” adding that he had not seen any of the violence from where he was.
“What is especially annoying is that a really nice moment has been taken away from us,” he said.
