AC Milan Falls to Feyenoord in Champions League Playoff First Leg

2025-03-01

AC Milan suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Feyenoord in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League knockout phase playoff tie on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at De Kuip in Rotterdam. The match was marked by a goalkeeping error from Milan’s Mike Maignan, which proved decisive in handing Feyenoord the victory. The Dutch side, under interim manager Pascal Bosschaart following the recent dismissal of head coach Brian Priske, secured a crucial advantage heading into the second leg.

Feyenoord, making their first appearance in the Champions League knockout stage, managed to hold off a strong AC Milan side that had been in good form under head coach Sérgio Conceição. Milan, who recently won the Italian Super Cup, struggled to break down Feyenoord’s defense despite the presence of key players like Christian Pulisic, who has been in impressive form this season with a league-leading assist tally in Serie A.

The match was a tense affair, with both teams creating chances, but Feyenoord capitalized on Maignan’s mistake to secure the win. The second leg, scheduled to take place at the San Siro, will now be crucial for Milan as they look to overturn the deficit and advance to the next round. The winner of this tie will face either Arsenal or Inter Milan in the last 16 of the competition.