UCL: Feyenoord Take Advantage in Champions League Tie with AC Milan

Feyenoord took a significant step towards the Champions League round of 16 with a hard-fought 1-0 win over AC Milan.

Feyenoord secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over AC Milan in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League knockout play-off tie, marking their first knockout stage win in Europe's premier club competition since 1984/85. This narrow win gives Feyenoord a crucial advantage ahead of the second leg.

All attention was focused on AC Milan striker Santiago Giménez, who had made a high-profile switch from Feyenoord to the San Siro in January. However, his return to De Kuip proved to be an unhappy one. In just the fourth minute, Igor Paixão unleashed a speculative effort from the corner of the penalty area, catching Mike Maignan off guard at his near post. The ball slipped through Maignan's grasp and into the net, giving Feyenoord an early lead.

The slippery surface proved challenging for French goalkeeper Maignan, but his counterpart, Timon Wellenreuther, had no issues keeping out strikes from Tijjani Reijnders and João Félix on either side of the opening goal.

Tensions rose around the 30-minute mark as Paixão and Rafael Leão of the visiting team went down in opposite penalty areas in quick succession, but referee José Sánchez dismissed both penalty claims. This seemed to motivate Paixão, who attempted a 25-yard shot with eight minutes left in the half, only to see his curling effort graze the top of the crossbar.

Feyenoord take a lead to Milan ✅#UCL pic.twitter.com/AqVgKLtYq9

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 12, 2025

Despite struggling in the Eredivisie, Feyenoord's strong UEFA Champions League form appeared set to continue as they made a promising start to the second half. Thomas Beelen forced Maignan into action from a corner, and substitute Julián Carranza saw an effort flash wide after Paixão continued to create opportunities.

However, Sérgio Conceição's side gained momentum in the final 20 minutes. Reijnders' dipping volley narrowly cleared the bar, and Wellenreuther made impressive saves to deny Samuel Chukwueze, Strahinja Pavlović, and Félix. Ultimately, Milan's comeback efforts fell short.

Feyenoord secured their seventh win in 12 home matches against Italian opposition, while Milan extended their winless streak against Dutch sides to five games. The two teams will meet again in the second leg at San Siro next Tuesday, with the winner advancing to face either Arsenal or Inter Milan.