Goodbye, Theo. Milan Crashes Out of the Champions League Due to a Costly Mistake

In recent years, Theo Hernández was seen as too good for Milan. Yet, in the end, he was the one who shattered the fans’ hopes.

The first leg between Milan and Feyenoord ended in an unexpected home win for the Rotterdam side. It wasn’t a particularly exciting match, with the only goal coming in the opening minutes. After that, Milan managed to secure three points in Serie A against Verona with a single goal scored by Santiago Giménez, a former Feyenoord striker. Meanwhile, his ex-team struggled against Breda, settling for a goalless draw.

Naturally, expectations were high for the return leg. Fans anticipated both a tighter contest and a stronger performance from the Italian side. Sérgio Conceição made few surprises in his lineup choices. Some expected Youssouf Fofana or perhaps Matteo Gabbia to start, but these were defensive options, while Milan needed goals. The Portuguese coach deployed his best attacking players in search of a comeback.

Feyenoord’s interim coach Pascal Bosschaart faced an uphill battle, reportedly missing 12 to 14 players due to injuries. On top of that, former manager Brian Priske had been dismissed just two days before the first leg. However, Bosschaart had already exceeded expectations by guiding his team this far.

Milan came out like a raging beast, attacking from the first second. This is no exaggeration — within 15 seconds, Giménez had already won a corner. Just 30 seconds later, he found the net but respectfully refrained from celebrating against his former club.

The Italians quickly erased their first-leg deficit and kept pushing. They dominated the entire first half, attacking from all angles. However, their approach soon resembled a handball-style buildup, passing the ball around the box without creating many real chances.

Feyenoord, on the other hand, failed to impress. Their defense was shaky, and they barely threatened up front. It was puzzling to see them opt for an attacking 4-3-3 formation when they spent most of the game sitting back. Surprisingly, they barely pressed Milan, either content with the current scoreline or saving energy for a potential extra-time battle.

The second half started similarly, with Milan camping around Feyenoord’s box. The pressure was mounting, but everything changed in an instant. Theo Hernández, for some reason, decided to dive in the opponent’s box. Referee Szymon Marciniak had no doubts — second yellow card, and Hernández was off. Milan’s protests were met with a cold, diving gesture from the official.

Shortly after, Conceição made defensive substitutions to hold onto the aggregate draw — Christian Pulisic and Giménez made way for Fofana and Davide Bartesaghi. But in the 73rd minute, Julian Carranza easily shrugged off the young Italian and nodded the ball under the crossbar.

Milan pushed hard in the final ten minutes, but the damage was done. Everything was going their way until that ill-fated red card. And they have only Hernández to "thank" for it. Milan had full control until his reckless decision.

Meanwhile, Feyenoord’s fairytale continues. With an interim coach who took charge just over a week ago and a squad riddled with injuries, they eliminated Milan from the Champions League. Their patience paid off in full — bravo, Feyenoord.

Published by Patrick Jane
19.02.2025