The football players of Slovan Bratislava lost to AC Milan 2:3 in Tuesday’s match of the 5th round of the basic phase of the Champions League. In the incomplete table, they are still in last place without a point gain. The next match in the most prestigious club competition awaits the “Whites” on December 11 at the ground of Atletico Madrid. Next year, he will meet at home with VfB Stuttgart (January 21), eight days later he will face Bayern Munich.
Despite Slovan’s loss, there was a good atmosphere at Tehelno poli, Slovak fans enjoyed the match. The VIP was bursting at the seams, as it was filled with many famous faces. He wasn’t allowed missing President Peter Pellegrini, Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Family Erik Tomáš, or Minister of the Environment Tomáš Taraba.
Playwright and producer Gabriela Ruman and her husband did not miss the lucrative match. Gabika dressed perfectly again and wowed with her elegant outfit. In addition to the Slovak celebrities, a foreign star, footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovič, also came, who was captured by the portal’s photographer sitting in a VIP room. You can find a photo in the gallery.
Slovan presented himself in the opening act with a clear intention to wait for counterattacks. The guests played static offensively, without any ideas, moreover, they lost balls, which could have threatened Slovan. A great opportunity was thrown away in the 15th minute by David Strelec, who was prevented from enjoying a goal on the goal line by defender Strahinja Pavlovič. On the opposite side, Christian Pulisic opened the scoring, but the good first half by the “Whites” was crowned with a goal by the most active man on the pitch, Tigran Barseghjan.
After the change of sides, the pace dropped, but the Rossoneri brought their big offensive weapon, Rafael Lea, into the game. The Portuguese winger made a breakthrough in the 68th minute and in less than three minutes, Tammy Abraham made it 3:1 for the visitors. 19-year-old Nino Marcelli gave hope for a historic point in the 88th minute with a great shot from outside the box, but it was too late for the Slovak champion.
SK SLOVAN BRATISLAVA – AC MILAN
Goals: 24. Barsejgan, 88. Marcelli – 21. Pulisic, 68. Leao, 71. Abraham. ŽK: Tolič – Chukwueze, Calabria, Tomori, ČK: 90.+1 Tolič (Slovak) after the second ŽK. Referees: Sanchez – Cabanero, Prieto (all Sp.), 22,500 spectators (sold out).
SK Slovan Bratislava: Takač – Bajrič, Kašia, Voet (76. Marcelli) – Blackman, Kucka (76. Tolič), Savvidis (90. Mak), Medvedev – Barsejjan, Strelec, Metsoko (66. Ignatenko)
AC Milan: Maignan v Calabria (74th Emerson), Pavlovic, Tomori, Hernandez v Fofana (76th Musah), Reijnders v Chukwueze, Pulisic (75th Lotus-Cheek), Okafor (46th Leao) v Abraham (84th Camarda )
The opening minutes were played in the attacking half of the guests. Slovan defended in a deep defensive block, but the Milanese did not directly threaten Takač. The tactical intention of the Slovak champion was to wait for counterattacks. Barsejjan had a hint of a break, but Pavlović chased him well and the Armenian winger kicked the ball too far before entering the penalty area. In the first quarter of an hour, the home team was careful about the areas around the penalty area, moreover, shots from the middle distance were blocked several times by players in front of Takač.
In the 15th minute, “Belasí” threw away a tutu, in which Strelec found himself after a quick counterattack, bypassing the goalkeeper Maignan, but Pavlovič kicked his weak shot on the goal line. Pulisic could soon punish the scorer’s hesitation on the opposite side, against whom Takač made a save. However, the same player got a chance to make a save and in the 21st minute he already sent the ball around the Slovakian goalkeeper and into the net. Just three minutes later, the “Rossoneri” defense failed again, when they let the fast Barsegghan escape from the middle of the field, who after a 40-meter sprint finished above Maignan.
Coach Fonseca responded to the static offensive phase and poor performance of the guests after the change of sides. He withdrew Okafor from the game and sent the Portuguese winger Leao to the field instead. At the beginning of the second half, the Milanese were not in possession as often and the tempo of the game dropped. Home coach Weiss strengthened the midfield after an hour of play when Ignatenko came into the game instead of Metsok.
Paradoxically, in the 68th minute, a pass to the substitute Lea went through the denser center and he beat Takač. The chance of at least a draw was minimized in the 71st minute, when Strelec sent home a small shot to Takač, but he did not notice Abraham, who gave AC a two-goal lead. In the end, he presented himself with a sample shot from behind Marcelli’s penalty area, and the home team had hope of gaining a point. In added time, however, they lost Tolič, who was sent off, and did not reach a draw.
