Giroud sinks PSG to reignite Milan’s Champions League bid

Olivier Giroud fired AC Milan back into Champions League contention with the decisive goal in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain.

France striker Giroud thumped home a trademark header four minutes after the break at a pulsating San Siro to reignite Milan’s chances of reaching the last 16 and turn around a dreadful recent run of form.

Stefano Pioli’s team started the day bottom of Group F but are now well in contention for the knockout stages, third on five points and just one behind PSG who occupy the second qualification spot.

Tuesday’s win was revenge for a 3-0 hammering in Paris a fortnight ago and came with Milan’s first goals in the competition this season, the hugely impressive Rafael Leao drawing the hosts level in the 12th minute after former Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar had nodded PSG into an early lead.

Giroud’s winner was his seventh goal of the season in all competitions and there was a French flavour to the finish which downed Ligue 1 champions PSG, Theo Hernandez supplying the pinpoint cross from which his Les Bleus teammate netted.

Milan next face group leaders Borussia Dortmund, who took top spot by one point from PSG with their 2-0 win over Newcastle United earlier on Tuesday, in a match which could well be crucial to their chances of getting out of the group.

Their fans also got revenge on public enemy number one Gianluigi Donnarumma who controversially left Milan for PSG as a free agent two years ago and was greeted with a wave of hate from the packed stands.

A day which started with the news that a PSG fan had been stabbed in clashes between both sets of supporters late on Monday night reached fever pitch when the teams took to the field and home fans unloaded on Italy goalkeeper Donnarumma.

Milan fans printed thousands of fake dollar bills depicting his face with the word “mercenary” and the disparaging nickname “Dollarumma”.

Donnarumma hate 

They were launched onto the field after the traditional pre-match display amid loud, insulting chants towards Donnarumma which only got louder as he had to walk towards the goal nearest Milan’s hardcore fans just before kick-off.

Some fans rolled the bills into hard balls and pelted them onto the pitch, where they pinged off the grass just by where he was standing.

Once the match was finally up and running it was Milan who should have taken the lead first when Ruben Loftus-Cheek smashed a great chance over the bar after Leao’s blazing run and cut-back.

Skriniar had the away side ahead three minutes later after Loftus-Cheek allowed him to drift away and easily nod in Marquinhos’ flick-on from a corner.

But Leao was clearly up for it after a series of underwhelming recent performances and another of his trademark bursts brought Milan level almost immediately.

The Portugal winger charged down the middle, offloaded to Giroud and after his shot was parried by Donnarumma, flicked in the leveller with an acrobatic overhead kick.

PSG were dangerous on almost every attack and, after Mike Maignan had to twice be quick off his line to stop Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele thwacked the crossbar in the 27th minute.

Seconds later Giroud smashed into the side netting after Loftus-Cheek’s powerful dribble in a breathless opening period which nearly finished with Milan deservedly ahead when Leao drilled just wide of Donnarumma’s near post.

But Giroud had his moment of glory with a classic centre-forward’s header from Theo Hernandez’s cross after Leao nearly poked home.

PSG were livid at what they thought was a foul on Achraf Hakimi from Leao, who was still on the ground when Giroud thumped home what turned out to be the winner.

Donnarumma denied Milan a more convincing victory when he brilliantly tipped wide Noah Okafor’s angled drive with five minutes left.

And Lee Kang-in almost made Milan pay when he cut inside and slammed the post in a tense finale which ended with a massive roar of relief at the final whistle.

Man City reach Champions League last 16 as Haaland destroys Young Boys

Manchester City powered into the Champions League knockout stages as Erling Haaland banished fears over his fitness with a double in Tuesday’s 3-0 win against Swiss side Young Boys.

Pep Guardiola’s team have won all four of their Group G matches, ensuring their progress to the last 16 with two games to spare.

Haaland was fit to start at the Etihad Stadium after hurting his ankle in the first half of City’s 6-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday.

And the Norway striker showed there was no lingering injury issue as he took his Champions League goal tally to a remarkable 39 in 34 matches.

He put City ahead with a first half penalty and netted again with a brilliant long-range effort after Phil Foden’s eye-catching strike doubled the holders’ lead.

Young Boys had Sandro Lauper sent off in the second half of a one-sided contest that extended City’s impressive streak of winning all 23 of their home games in 2023.

Sunderland hold the English record with 24 successive home wins, a mark that dates back to 1891 and 1892.

City are also unbeaten in their past 17 Champions League games and Guardiola now has the opportunity to rest players in the last two group matches if he wishes, instead prioritising Premier League fixtures against Tottenham and Crystal Palace.

Guardiola suffered a blow when Manuel Akanji was injured in the pre-match warm-up, forcing Kyle Walker to deputise for the Swiss defender.

But City defeated Young Boys 3-1 in Bern a fortnight ago and it didn’t take long for the treble winners to reestablish their supremacy.

Relentless City

Rico Lewis should have given City the lead in the opening minutes when Jack Grealish picked him out six yards from goal, but the young midfielder’s shot was cleared off the line by Loris Benito.

Young Boys keeper Anthony Racioppi was in action moments later to repel Walker’s free-kick and deny Foden from the rebound.

City’s relentless pressure was rewarded in the 23rd minute when Matheus Nunes’s deft turn drew a foul from Lauper in the Young Boys area.

Haaland stepped up to take the penalty, calmly sending Racioppi the wrong way before marking the moment by replicating Didier Drogba’s leaping goal celebration.

Former Chelsea striker Drogba had challenged Haaland to copy either his or Gary Lineker’s goal pose while presenting him with an award recently.

Unable to convert Foden’s cross soon afterwards, Haaland wore the wry smile of a man who knew more City goals were only a matter of time.

Foden duly delivered in first half stoppage-time, conjuring a sublime solo effort as he controlled Grealish’s pass with a superb touch, skipped past Ulisses Garcia into the area and curled his shot into the far corner from five yards.

After curiously swapping shirts with a Young Boys captain Mohamed Ali Camara at half-time, Haaland put the result beyond doubt in the 51st minute.

Taking Lewis’s pass in stride, Haaland swivelled to unleash a thunderous strike that rocketed past Racioppi from the edge of the area.

It was Haaland’s 15th goal this season and his 67th in 70 games for City.

Lauper was dismissed two minutes later for a second booking after a crude foul on Nathan Ake.

With the game all but over, Guardiola was able to take off Haaland to rest him for Sunday’s crucial Premier League trip to Chelsea.

Griezmann and Morata double up as Atletico destroy 10-man Celtic

Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata struck twice each as Atletico Madrid hammered ragged 10-man Celtic 6-0 on Tuesday to move top of their Champions League group.

Diego Simeone’s side took an early lead through Griezmann but were struggling until Celtic forward Daizen Maeda was dismissed midway through the first half for a high foot.

Morata added a second before the break and Atletico racked up the goals in the second half, with both forwards netting again and Samuel Lino and Saul Niguez also on target.

Atletico’s emphatic win leaves them with eight points, one ahead of Lazio, second, and two ahead of former group leaders Feyenoord, while Celtic are last with only one.

“The team didn’t lower its rhythm of play, they were always looking for more,” a pleased Simeone told Movistar.

“It’s a crunch moment for everyone (in the group), it will be tricky until the end.”

Atletico bounced back strongly from a disappointing defeat at La Liga minnows Las Palmas on Friday to leave Brendan Rodgers’ side on the brink of elimination and record their 16th consecutive home victory across all competitions.

Griezmann struck in the sixth minute, his low effort skidding home with the aid of a deflection off Cameron Carter-Vickers, after Celtic gave him too much time and space on the edge of the box.

Celtic winger Luis Palma showed flashes at the other end as his team dominated the ball in the opening 20 minutes.

However the game changed drastically when Japanese international Maeda was sent off for a high foot on Mario Hermoso.

Although the referee initially gave a yellow card, Maeda was dismissed after VAR intervention — Celtic’s third red card of the competition.

“It’s hard enough at this level with 11 men, that’s two games we’ve had players sent off,” Celtic captain Callum McGregor told TNT Sports.

“(It was) a humbling experience for us.”

After that it was one-way traffic at the Metropolitano, although Jan Oblak tipped away an accidental Morata miskick, heading towards his own goal.

Atletico doubled their lead just before the break when he headed home after a classy team move, with Griezmann finding Jose Gimenez, who nodded the ball back for Morata.

Standing ovation 

Joe Hart denied Angel Correa and Gimenez hit the bar with a header as Atletico pushed for the third, which came via an acrobatic finish from Griezmann.

The French forward, who was surprisingly withdrawn against Las Palmas with Atletico losing, went off early again, this time to a standing ovation.

Lino added a superb fourth, cutting in from the left and arcing an effort across Hart and into the net, before Correa struck the post.

Atletico’s fifth followed when Morata lashed home his fifth Champions League goal of the season from the edge of the box, giving the despairing Hart no chance.

Saul got in on the act in the final stages, stabbing home from close range after Lino’s attempted strike fell into his path to round off Atletico’s sizeable triumph.

“Their red card gave us an advantage, but we have to continue like this,” Griezmann told Movistar.

“Respecting our opponent, we tried to play as well as possible and not do silly things like try nutmegs.”

The French forward, operating in an attacking midfield role against Celtic, said he was open to playing there if the coach wanted him to.

“I’m learning by watching a lot of football on television — whatever it takes for the club and for Cholo (Simeone),” added Griezmann.

UEFA Champions League results on Tuesday:

Group E

In Madrid

Atletico Madrid (ESP) 6 (Griezmann 6, 60, Morata 45+2, 76, Lino 66, Niguez 84)) Celtic (SCO) 0

In Rome

Lazio (ITA) 1 (Immobile 45+1) Feyenoord (NED) 0

Group F

In Milan, Italy

AC Milan (ITA) 2 (Leao 12, Giroud 50) Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) 1 (Skriniar 9)

In Dortmund, Germany

Borussia Dortmund (GER) 2 (Fuellkrug 26, Brandt 79) Newcastle (ENG) 0

Group G

In Belgrade

Red Star Belgrade (SRB) 1 (Henrichs 81-og) RB Leipzig (GER) 2 (Simons 8, Openda 77)

In Manchester, England

Manchester City (ENG) 3 (Haaland 23-pen, 51, Foden 45+1) Young Boys (SUI) 0

Group H

In Porto, Portugal

Porto (POR) 2 (Evanilson 32-pen, Pepe 90+1) Royal Antwerp (BEL) 0

In Hamburg, Germany

Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) 1 (Sikan 40) Barcelona (ESP) 0

Playing Wednesday (2000 GMT unless stated)

Group A

In Munich, Germany

Bayern Munich (GER) v Galatasaray (TUR)

In Copenhagen

FC Copenhagen (DEN) v Manchester United (ENG)

Group B

In London

Arsenal (ENG) v Sevilla (ESP)

In Eindhoven, Netherlands

PSV Eindhoven (NED) v Lens (FRA)

Group C

In Naples, Italy

Napoli (ITA) v Union Berlin (GER) (1745)

In Madrid

Real Madrid (ESP) v Braga (POR)

Group D

In San Sebastian, Spain

Real Sociedad (ESP) v Benfica (POR) (1745)

In Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg (AUT) v Inter Milan (ITA). – AFP