Paulo Fonseca commended his AC Milan side for their 3-1 Champions League win over Real Madrid, saying they “deserved this victory.”
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AC Milan “deserved this victory”
Malick Thiaw’s header put Milan ahead, but Real Madrid levelled midway through the first half through Vinícius Júnior’s penalty.
However, goals from ex Real and Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata and Tijani Reijnders ensured back-to-back wins for the Rossoneri club.
According to Fonseca, it was a “well-deserved victory” for Milan, as his squad arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu with courage.
“I think we won because the players had the courage to come here and play their game, without being afraid of anything,” Fonseca told Sky Sports Italia.
“We wanted to keep the ball, we did great things in the first half and then struggled a little more after the break, but we did it together and totally deserved this victory. It’s not just because we scored three goals, but also we played with a lot of quality.”
Milan are now up to 18th in the Champions League standings.
“I do not agree when people say Italian football is defensive. We can be a team with more initiative and dominance of the match in Europe, these are the characteristics of the team. We proved that Italian teams don’t just defend, we played the ball and had great positioning. The side has the patience to keep the ball, picking the right moment to attack.
“We must continue to improve, as we have a lot of potential.”
“Special night for us”
It was Milan’s first win against Madrid in 15 years, handing the reigning champions back-to-back losses for the first time since October 2021.
It’s been a tough start to the season in Serie A, with AC Milan currently sitting seventh in the standings.
Nonetheless, U.S. international Christian Pulisic said the team will cherish their hard-earned victory over Real Madrid.
“Amazing result for us,” Pulisic told CBS Sports. “I mean to come here and play is of course not easy [because of] their history in the Champions League.
“A tough place to come and play, so for us to put on a performance like that and win the game, obviously a really special night for us.”
