New Delhi: AC Milan’s Champions League journey came to a bitter end as they crashed out against Feyenoord with Zlatan Ibrahimovic offering a scathing assessment of the team’s performance. Despite having control of the tie at various moments the Red and Blacks failed to capitalise and were ultimately undone by their costly mistakes leading to a 2-1 aggregate defeat. The disappointment was evident given the quality of their squad but lacked in concentration and a controversial red card proved to be their downfall.
The night at San Siro started with promise for Milan but they were stunned within the first minute when Santiago Gimenez found the net to level the aggregate score. With the pressure mounting Milan looked to regain their composure but disaster struck in the second half when Theo Hernandez was sent off for an alleged dive in the 51st minute. Down to ten men Milan struggled to stop the Dutch side and Julian Carranza delivered the decisive blow with 17 minutes left sealing Feyenoord’s passage to the next round.
Ibrahimovic’s brutal verdict
The senior adviser at Milan Zlatan Ibrahimovic did not hold back in his post-match reaction. After the match while speaking to SkySports, the Swedish legend expressed frustration over how the team let the tie slip away. He said, “Feyenoord were not better than us, we just killed ourselves.” Ibrahimovic also took issue with the decision to send off Hernandez, questioning the referee’s judgment. “The referee has been severe with Theo Hernandez with no warning before the red card. Theo is not an actor, he does his best.”
🔴⚫️ AC Milan Senior Advisor Zlatan Ibrahimović: “Feyenoord were not better than us, we just killed ourselves”.
“We are disappointed, the referee has been severe with Theo Hernández with no warning before the red card… Theo is not an actor, he does his best”, told Sky. pic.twitter.com/mkGToHmpUd
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 18, 2025
Impact of the defeat
Milan’s early exit is a massive setback for the club, raising serious questions about their ability to perform on the biggest stage. With ambitions of reclaiming their status as European giants, they crashed out to Feyenoord has only added to the scrutiny surrounding Stefano Pioli’s side. The defeat not only just impacted their morale but could also impact their confidence in the domestic campaign.
While the controversy surrounding Hernandez’s dismissal will be debated, the harsh reality remains that Milan had enough quality to win but failed to take their chances. As Ibrahimovic bluntly put it they were their own worst enemy.
AC Milan’s Champions League dream shattered by Feyenoord. Zlatan Ibrahimovic questions the referee and slams the team’s performance. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
