AC Milan tore up the script to clinch their 19th Scudetto this season after 11 years of hibernation in Serie A. The Italian club had not tasted league glory since 2011 heading into the latest campaign and that drought was very much expected to continue at the start of it.

Nobody anticipated Stefano Pioli's young, undecorated squad going on to become champions, with a top-four finish and Champions League qualification originally their prime target.

Nevertheless, sometimes the impossible can quickly become reality, and that was certainly the case for a Milan side who overcame many negative moments with pride and sacrifice to get their hands on the title.

Today we take a look at how AC Milan overcame all odds as old giants of the game to become Champion of Italy.

Return of the Prodigal Son: Paulo Maldini, the technical director and mastermind

It is difficult to pick out just a single charismatic leader from Milan's extraordinary and unexpected success, but there is one man who deserves most of the credit: Paolo Maldini. In August 2018 Maldini accepted a proposal from the Elliott fund and agreed to head back to the AC Milan, nine years after departing as a player. Four years on from that return, he has helped guide the club back to the top of Italian football.

The legendary former defender is the architect of Milan's reconstruction this season, both from a technical and financial standpoint, with his great diplomatic ability attracting several top players and restoring enthusiasm and energy to an environment which seemed to have lost all hope of returning to Serie A's summit.

After masterminding his first Scudetto as technical director, Maldini told Milan TV: 'It's all beautiful, after so many years for me and for Milan to win again is fantastic. Beautiful because deserved, after three crazy years.

'Fans have been exceptional in recent years, never lacking their support. We have to thank the spirit of the group that has never abandoned us.

Maldini quarreled with a small section of Milan's hardcore fans, who accused him of lacking respect for the club, on the day he waved goodbye as a player in 2009.

Yet after clinching the title at Sassuolo's Mapei Stadium he was serenaded with chants from the travelling support, marking a reconciliation between the two parties nine years on from that poisonous farewell.

This is now a club full of harmony from top to bottom.Maldini bolstered Pioli's ranks with the right players last summer and in January, however he was also responsible for keeping the head coach in his position. Back in 2020 Milan CEO Ivan Gazidis had already chosen Ralf Rangnick, Manchester United's unsuccessful interim boss this season, as his replacement.

That was until Maldini intervened, urging Gazidis to keep the faith with Pioli. In the end his advice paid off.

Stefano Pioli: How Pioli repaid faith after rousing the Italian giants from slumber

AC Milan supporters will look back on their club's gamble to stick with unproven coach Stefano Pioli as the decision that set them on course to winning their first Serie A title in 11 years.

The man who masterminded the title triumph collected the first trophy of his 19-year coaching career, but it could have been so very different had the club not shown faith in him at the start of Milan's journey back to the top.

Milan's fall from grace following their previous Scudetto triumph in 2011 was spectacular. Four years after their 18th Serie A triumph, the seven-time European Cup winners finished 10th in the standings and they spent seven seasons outside the top four of the Italian top flight between 2014 and 2020.

After Massimiliano Allegri's departure in 2014, six permanent coaches in five years tried and failed to turn things around, before Pioli came in to steady the ship.

The initial results were mixed after Pioli succeeded Marco Giampaolo in October 2019, before a fine end to the 2019-20 season secured Milan a return to European competition for the following campaign.

Pioli, however, appeared set to be replaced ahead of the 2020-21 season, with former RB Leipzig and Schalke 04 coach Ralf Rangnick reportedly coming in.

Sporting director Paulo Maldini instead decided to give Pioli a new deal, revealing that he felt Rangnick was not the "right fit" for the club.

Pioli restored Milan to the big time without breaking the bank, and by keeping things simple.

Astute signings last season, such as midfielder Sandro Tonali, Croatian forward Ante Rebic and Denmark captain Simon Kjaer, helped Milan to finish second in the standings, with the return of veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic firing them back up the table.

A mix of exciting young prospects such as defender Fikayo Tomori, alongside more experienced signings like Giroud, took Milan to the next level this season.

Injury setbacks to skipper Kjaer, who missed much of the campaign with a knee injury, and Ibrahimovic were taken in Pioli's stride, too.

Inter's fine form in April saw them briefly retake the lead in the table, but Pioli ensured Milan kept going, making them hard to break down, with numerous 1-0 victories doing the job.

AC Milan finished the season unbeaten in 16 league games – unbeaten Serie A runs have become a staple of Pioli's reign – with a consistency his predecessors had been unable to find.

Such continuity takes time to build, something Pioli was afforded after Maldini's decision to stand by him.

Childhood fairytale comes true for Tonali

In the 92nd minute of their clash with Lazio, Sandro Tonali popped up with the most important goal of his career and perhaps Milan's entire season on April 24. It sealed a vital 2-1 win in their bid to become champions, and without it the title would be Inter's.

Fairytales typically have happy endings and in the case of Tonali his story is full of tears and love for Milan. It began in his childhood, when he enjoyed playing in the Rossoneri shirt in a church courtyard just outside of his school.

At that time Carlo Ancelotti's side were kings of Europe and the world, and in the midst of their success Tonali was carving out his own journey to the top while dreaming of becoming a future Milan star.

Two years ago he called Gennaro Gattuso and asked for his blessing to take the famous No 8 shirt, now he sits as one of the heroes in his beloved club's 19th Scudetto win.

AC Milan's Tomori Investment Pays-off

One of Chelsea's biggest regrets of the last 18 months is allowing Fikayo Tomori to depart, which was undoubtedly a mistake on behalf of Frank Lampard, his successor Thomas Tuchel and the club's hierarchy.

The young English defender had shown clear promise in his debut season at Stamford Bridge, was bizarrely cast to one side by Lampard in the first half of the next campaign and then sent to the San Siro on loan the following January.

After completing a permanent £25million move to AC Milan last summer, Tomori quickly established himself as one of Piolo's most trusted centre-backs in the 2021-22 campaign. An injury to Simon Kjaer offered him greater responsibility and provided Pioli with new tactical and technical solutions, while helping Pierre Kalulu become a more intelligent player.

Tomori and Kalulu's solid partnership gave the Milan backline more of a European footprint, but it was the former who was largely responsible for reducing their average number of league goals conceded by a quarter; a very important statistic which played a key part in capturing the Scudetto.

The former Chelsea man was Maldini's biggest investment as Milan chief and just one year into his San Siro career he has justified that price-tag.

The Kalulu Surprise

As one of the best to ever do it, Maldini can recognise the qualities of a defender simply by observing them in training.

One of his trusted assistants kept tabs on Kalulu at Lyon and relayed feedback on the player, before they made the decision to take advantage of his contract expiration in 2020.

AC Milan snapped up the French defender, who had not made a first-team appearance for Lyon, on a free transfer and handed him a salary well under £1million per year.

Yet last season he showed great concentration when afforded minutes by Pioli, and this term he has taken his game to another level alongside Tomori, racking up 28 appearances in their title-winning campaign.

Kalulu's winning goal against Empoli back in March was the first of his career and went a long way to deciding the fate of the Serie A title race.

Olivier Giroud Ends No.9 Curse

Since Filippo Inzaghi ended his iconic Milan career in 2012, every striker who has donned the famous No 9 shirt has failed and left the team after disastrous seasons. 

The likes of Alexandre Pato, Fernando Torres, Gonzalo Higuain and Mario Mandzukic struggled under the weight of Inzaghi's former jersey.

This season, however, Olivier Giroud well and truly banished that curse to help the Rossoneri achieve historic success.

The 35-year-old produced a return of 11 goals in 29 league appearances, which worked out as one every 173 minutes, including a brace in their title-deciding fixture away at Sassuolo. In the process, he broke Cristiano Ronaldo's record as the oldest player to reach double figures in his debut Serie A campaign.

He was another discarded Premier League gem stolen by Maldini to help transform Pioli's side into title-winning diamonds. Giroud arrived in Milan last summer as a European champion, but after being deemed surplus to requirements by Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel he set his sights on a new challenge.

12 months on from winning the Champions League he became an Italian champion, becoming somewhat of a lucky charm for Milan. The French frontman quite literally dragged them to glory by scoring some priceless goals, such as a double in their derby victory away at Inter.

His great personality, physical strength and tactical savviness allowed him to experience a sporting rebirth in his mid 30s.

During an interview with L'Equipe he confessed his love for Italy and the city of Milan, saying: 'As a boy I had very nice friends who had Italian origins, they came from Corato, in Puglia.

Giroud is the man Milan supporters have pinpointed as the protagonist of their unforgettable ride to the Scudetto, despite admitting to have almost joined Inter in the past.

'There are many pizzerias and as a boy I used to go to many Italians to eat. Italy was in my destiny.

Europe has the best and the toughest club competition in the world. The only thing which separates an elite club from a normal club is the Champions League title. Clubs all around Europe dream of winning this competition. Clubs with the most Champions League titles earn more bragging rights than the others. Let's take a look at the top clubs that have won the most number of Champions League titles in the tournament's history.

Champions League Finalists and Winners List since 1956

Top clubs with the most Champions League titles (3 or more)

1. Real Madrid CF (15 UCL titles)

Everyone considers Real Madrid C.F. as the most successful club in world football. This club has achieved great heights both in recent times and in the past. Real Madrid won the first-ever European Cup in 1955-56 which was also the founding year of the competition. Back then it was formally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup. The current format has been around since 1992. Real Madrid has won 15 UEFA Champions League titles which is more than any club in the world.

They won the tournament five consecutive times in the first five seasons of the tournament. Their recent achievement includes a three-peat of winning the UCL under Zinedine Zidane (2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18).

Cristiano Ronaldo was their star performer with the most impact in the competition. He further tops the chart of the most goal scorers and assists providers in the competition as well.

Also Read: Ronaldo records: Only player to be top scorer of the season in three different leagues

Real Madrid CF's Title winning years

2. AC Milan (7 UCL Titles)

AC Milan is an Italian giant with a rich history and glories. They produced players like Maldini, Dida, Nesta and many more. They dominated world football in the past few decades, but things have changed drastically since then.

Milan has fallen from the ranks of great clubs in recent times, but their UCL glory is still more than others, just behind Real Madrid. They have beaten the likes of Juventus, Liverpool, and Barcelona to win the Champions League in the past. Milan has won the Champions League 7 times in their history.

AC Milan's Title winning years

Also Read: Most Champions League Goals In History

3. FC Bayern Munich (6 UCL titles)

Bayern Munich has been the dominant force in Europe for quite a long time. They dominate the Bundesliga and the domestic cup titles, too. Recently, they have been one of the most prominent sides in Europe to deal with. Bayern humiliated Barcelona with an 8-2 defeat in the UCL quarter-finals and won the 2019-20 Champions League, beating PSG comfortably by 1-0.

Robert Lewandowski was their main man in recent years, with the most goals. However, they have consistently produced players like Robben, Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller and others who helped them win the trebles and sextuples.

Bayern Munich's Title winning years

4. Liverpool FC (6 UCL titles)

Liverpool has turned the tables beautifully in recent times. They were a great force in the European competition but suddenly went numb. Liverpool had a rough patch where they went trophyless for many years. With the appointment of Jurgen Klopp as manager, Liverpool slowly redeemed themselves. In the 2017-18 season, they reached the UCL finals but failed to win against Real Madrid.

Next season they came back stronger, from a 3-0 defeat in the first leg to win 4-0 in the second leg and knocked Barcelona out of the UCL semis. Liverpool went on to be the champions defeating Spurs by 2-0 in the all-English final to win their 6th UCL trophy. Their great comeback against Milan in 2005 at Istanbul still gives goosebumps to every football fan.

Liverpool's Title winning years

5. FC Barcelona (5 UCL Titles)

FC Barcelona are one of the biggest clubs in Europe with a great history in the UCL. They have won the title 5 times, while three of them came in the last decade. Their famous Lamasia - The FC Barcelona academy produced world-class players at the time. Players like Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique and many more were a part of the academy.

Coach Pep Guardiola conquered the world with some beautiful football. He managed to win both the Treble and Sextuple during his reign. A few years later Luis Enrique guided them to their 5th UCL title and also a treble. That was Barcelona's last high run in the UCL. After that, they have faced some problems and have not been able to continue their dominance in European football.

Read Also: Top 10: Most Free-kick Goals In Football History

FC Barcelona's Title winning years

6. Ajax (4 UCL Titles)

AFC Ajax has a great history. They are the only team to win the UCL 4 times which is not from the top 5 leagues. Football maestro Johan Cruyff was from this team, he later changed the definition of playing football. Introducing Tiki-taka football to the world, Ajax had a great run in the past. He later influenced Barcelona to play that type of football which brought them huge success in the end.

They last won the title in 1995 when the likes of Van der Sar, and Rijkaard used to play for them. Since then they have reached the UCL semifinal in 2019 upsetting big teams and then lost to the Spurs in the semifinal in the dying minutes. Ajax's run is considered one of the greatest underdogs in the history of the UEFA Champions League.

Ajax's Title winning years

7. Manchester United (3 UCL Titles)

Manchester United one of the greatest clubs in the world has won three Champions League titles. They looked like the best team in the world during their reign. Players like David Beckham, Ryan Gigs, and Wayne Rooney were part of the golden team when United lifted their 3rd European title. Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of this team is one of the greatest ever in the history of the sport. He introduced one of the recent footballing greats Cristiano Ronaldo in top-flight football, who was also part of that 2007-08 team.

Manchester United have also won the treble and enlisted themselves in an elite list in World Football. Since then they qualified for two Champions League finals but faced defeat against FC Barcelona.

Read Also: 10 Most FA Cup Winners List: FA Cup in detail

Manchester United's Title winning years

8. Internazionale (3 UCL Titles)

Internazionale won two of their three trophies back in the 1960s. Since then, they have been having a disappointing year in and year out. Their recent UCL title was in 2009-10 when Jose Mourinho took charge. They were not the favourites in that season, yet they went on to win the UCL.

Jose Mourinho at that time was emerging as one of the best coaches in the world. He played typical defensive football, frustrating his opponents, which created mistakes. They capitalised on those mistakes and went on to win their 3rd Champions League. They defeated the heavyweights Barcelona in the semis and Bayern Munich in the final to clinch their title.

Internazionale's Title winning years

Clubs with less than three Champions League titles:

The Champions League was earlier called the European Cup, and it started in 1955, and the first winner was Real Madrid. For the next 5 years, Real Madrid did not let anyone get close to the trophy.

Since then, 23 teams have won the glory, with Manchester City being the most recent one. As we get close to another UEFA Champions League final, we take a look at the Champions League winners list since 1965.

The Champions League winners list since 1955/56 is:

1956 - Real Madrid
1957 - Real Madrid
1958 - Real Madrid
1959 - Real Madrid
1960 - Real Madrid
1961 - Benfica
1962 - Benfica
1963 - AC Milan
1964 - Inter Milan
1965 - Inter Milan
1966 - Real Madrid
1967 - Celtic
1968 - Manchester United
1969- AC Milan
1970- Feyenoord
1971 - Ajax
1972 - Ajax
1973 - Ajax
1974 - Bayern
1975 - Bayern
1976 - Bayern
1977 - Liverpool
1978 - Liverpool
1979 - Nottingham Forest
1980 - Nottingham Forest
1981 - Liverpool
1982 - Aston Villa
1983 - Hamburger SV|
1984 - Liverpool
1985 - Juventus FC
1986 - Steaua București
1987 - FC Porto
1988 - PSV
1989 - AC Milan 
1990 - AC Milan
1991 - Red Star Belgrade
1992 - Barcelona
1993 - Olympique de Marseille
1994 - AC Milan
1995 - Ajax
1996 - Juventus FC
1997 - Borussia Dortmund
1998 - Real Madrid
1999 - Manchester United
2000 - Real Madrid
2001 - Bayern 
2002 - Real Madrid
2003 - AC Milan
2004 - Porto
2005 - Liverpool
2006 - Barcelona
2007 - AC Milan
2008 - Manchester United
2009 - Barcelona
2010 - Inter Milan
2011 - Barcelona
2012 - Chelsea FC
2013 - Bayern Munich
2014 - Real Madrid
2015 - Barcelona
2016 - Real Madrid
2017 - Real Madrid
2018 - Real Madrid
2019 - Liverpool
2020 - Bayern Munich
2021 - Chelsea FC
2022 - Real Madrid
2023 - Manchester City
2024 - Real Madrid

Let's have a look at the teams with the most trophies since 1955/56: 

Real Madrid x 15
AC Milan x 7
Bayern x 6 
Liverpool FC x 6
FC Barcelona x 5
Ajax x 4
Inter x 3
Manchester United x 3
Juventus x 2 
Benfica x 2
Nottingham Forest  x 2
Porto x 2
Chelsea x 3
Celtic x 1
Hamburger SV x 1
Steaua București x 1 
Olympique de Marseille x 1
Borussia Dortmund x 1
Feyenoord x 1
Aston Villa x 1
PSV x 1
Red Star Belgrade x 1
Manchester City x 1

AC Milan have reportedly finalized the decision to part ways with current manager Sergio Conceicao following the end of the ongoing season.

According to multiple reports from Italy, the Portuguese manager can also be shown the door if the Rossoneris fail to earn victories against in their upcoming two matches against Lecce and Como, which are scheduled to take place before the international break in March.

Despite winning the Supercoppa Italiana with AC Milan in January, while beating the eternal rivals Inter Milan in the final, Conceicao failed to lead Milan to the coveted success in Serie A this season. 

Conceicao to bow out of Milan at the season's end

According to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira, Conceicao's tenure at AC Milan "will be over at the end of the season". With another looming threat over the 50-year-old, he could lose his job as early as this month, if Milan suffers defeats against Lecce and Como before the international break.

#ACMilan have decided not to confirm Sergio #Conceicao. His story at #Milan will be over at the end of the season, even if he could be sacked with the immediate effect if he loses against Lecce and Como before the international break. #transfers

— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) March 8, 2025

Corriere della Sera, another well-known Italian media outlet, reported that Milan may consider dismissing head coach Conceicao before the summer clause takes effect. This would allow both parties to part ways 'early' if the team's performance does not improve in the coming week.

The pressure is now mounting on Sergio Conceicao as AC Milan is currently positioned ninth on the Serie A leaderboard, having accumulated 41 points across 27 games. 

During the summer, Conceicao was already a top candidate for the head coach position at Milan. However, the club ultimately chose Paulo Fonseca for the role. After a few months of disappointing results, Fonseca was dismissed, and his compatriot Conceicao took over as the new head coach.

The former FC Porto manager took charge of AC Milan on 30 December 2024. Under his managerial radar, the Rossoneris have played 17 matches, achieving 8 wins, 3 draws, and 6 losses so far.

Conceicao's tussle with Arrigo Sacchi

Sergio Conceicao's stay at Milan has been distressing due to the continuous speculations from different discussions. Recently, the Portuguese manager has been heavily criticized by the legendary former Milan coach Arrigo Sacchi, who "feels that it is ‘complicated’ for Conceicao to salvage his job in San Siro".

In his La Gazzetta dello Sport column, Sacchi conveyed his belief that it is "complicated" for Conceicao to save his job at San Siro. He also believes that the main issue is the lack of unity among the squad, which he sees as more significant than the team's results or the absence of goals on the pitch.

Sergio Conceiçao has not brought the benefits that all the supporters were expecting. Milan is in ninth place. This is not a position for a club that has written the history of football. We need to stop and seriously reflect with humility.

In response, Conceicao did not hold back his frustration over Sacchi's recent criticism, noting Sacchi's earlier praise contrasted with his current daily attacks in the media.

Two months ago, he said I was an important coach, now he criticizes me every day. I sent him a message, but he didn’t reply…

#Conceicao contro #Sacchi: “Due mesi fa diceva che ero un allenatore importante, adesso mi massacra tutti i giorni. Gli ho scritto un messaggio, non mi ha risposto…”. #ACMilan pic.twitter.com/Gln8BhudCc

— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) March 7, 2025

In another controversial incident, Conceicao's relationship with the Milan officials has seemingly deteriorated. The manager faced a backlash when his spokesperson claimed he felt unsupported by the club's management and criticized the team's structure.

However, Conceicao publicly denied these statements, affirming the club's support and his regular communication with the directors.

🎙️ O porta-voz de Sérgio Conceição tinha afirmaso que o técnico se sente sozinho e sem apoio da diretoria, criticando a estrutura do Milan e o comprometimento do elenco. Mas o treinador negou tudo, dizendo que o clube está com ele e que mantém contato diário com a diretoria.… pic.twitter.com/u4RfHKVGK8

— Andersinho Marques (@Andersinho_ITA) March 7, 2025

The upcoming weeks will be very crucial for Sergio Conceicao, as he will leave no stone unturned to end his tenure at Milan on a high, bringing Rossoneris close to the qualification zone for the continental competitions.

Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, PSG, PSV and Real Madrid qualified for the Round of 16 from the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Knockout phase play-offs.

Real Madrid thrashed Manchester City by 3-1, PSV stunned Juventus with the same scoreline while PSG scored 7 times against Brest and Bayern Munich played out a 1-1 draw against Celtic in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Knockout phase play-offs.

Read Also |  2024-25 UEFA Champions League round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final draw: Where is it, when is it, and teams' pairings?

UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Knockout phase play-offs Round-Up

Milan 1-1 Feyenoord (agg: 1-2)

Italian football giants and one of the most successful teams in UEFA Champions League history AC Milan were knocked out of this season's tournament after Dutch club Feyenoord defeated them by 1-2 on aggregate. 

Feyenoord were leading by 1-0 after the first leg and then they ensured a 1-1 draw to progress to the round of 16 for the first time in their history. 

Santiago Giménez scored early for Milan but against a 10-men Milan side Julián Carranza came off the bench to seal an equaliser with a stunning header. 

Benfica 3-3 Monaco (agg: 4-3)

Orkun Kökçü scored a late winner for Benfica to progress to the next round after beating Monaco by 4-3 on aggregate. 

Kerem Aktürkoğlu gave Benfica the early edge only to see Takumi Minamino and Eliesse Ben Seghir put Monaco back on level terms. 

Vangelis Pavlidis then gave Benfica the lead but George Ilenikhena levelled things again. Kokcu then sealed the winner for Benfica with a later goal.

Atalanta 1-3 Club Brugge (agg: 2-5)

Chemsdine Talbi's brace and Ferran Jutglà's stunning long-range goal took Club Brugge to the round of 16 with ease. 

Ademola Lookman scored the lone goal for Atalanta. However, he also saw one penalty saved by Simon Mignolet as well. 

Bayern Munich 1-1 Celtic (agg: 3-2) 

Bayern Munich narrowly passed the Celtic test with a late goal from Alphonso Davies. Nicolas Kuhn scored the goal for Celtic in the one-hour mark and when they were nearly close to taking Bayern Munich to extra time, Davies took the German Champions home.

B. Dortmund 0-0 Sporting CP (agg: 3-0)

Despite a goalless draw at their home, Borussia Dortmund went past their Portuguese visitors with ease, after a solid 3-0 lead from the first leg. 

In the second leg, Rui Silva was the hero for the Portuguese team who made multiple saves to deny the Dortmund players. 

Paris 7-0 Brest (agg: 10-0)

PSG thrashed their Ligue 1 opponent Brest via a 7-0 victory in the second leg to manage a 10-0 win on aggregate. 

PSG became the first team to have seven different scorers in a single match. Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Désiré Doué, Nuno Mendes, Gonçalo Ramos and Senny Mayulu scored for the French giants.

PSV 3-1 Juventus, aet (agg: 4-3)

🚨🇪🇺 GOAL | PSV 3-1 Juventus | Ryan Flamingo

RYAN FLAMINGO MAKES IT THREE FOR PSV IN THE 98TH MINUTE OF OVERTIME !!!!!!!!!!!!! 4-3 ON AGGREGATE !!!!!!!pic.twitter.com/n9Y0TXCmmo

— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) February 19, 2025

PSV stunned the Italian giants to qualify for the round of 16. This is their first Champions League knockout win since 2007. 

Ryan Flamingo scored an extra-time goal to nullify Timothy Weah's stunning goal. 

Ivan Perisic and Ismael Saibari scored the other two goals for the Dutch club.

Real Madrid 3-1 Man City (agg: 6-3)

Real Madrid proved why they are the 15 times Champions League winner as they eased past a struggling Manchester City to reach the Round of 16. 

Kylian Mbappe scored a stunning hat-trick to take the defending champions to the next round in front of their home crowd. Nico González scored a late consolation goal for City. 

Match week 7 of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 season delivered a mix of thrilling comebacks, dominant victories, and shocking defeats. Spanish heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid boasted their strength with decisive victories, while Manchester City and Bayern failed to pull off victories.

The shocking defeats of the Premier League giant and Bundesliga Heavyweight tightened the race for the top eight direct qualification and Knock-out playoffs. Here is a roundup of the key matches and standout performances from the week.

 Results: 

Real Madrid 5-1 RB Salzburg:

Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

22-01-2025, Matchday 7

Player of the Match: Vinicius Junior (2 goals, 4 attempts, 0 assists, Left Winger, Real Madrid)

Goal Scorers for Real Madrid:

• Rodrygo (23rd & 34th minute)
• Kylian Mbappe (48th minute)
• Vinicius Junior (55th & 77th minute)

Goal scorers for RB Salzburg:

• Mads Bidstrup (85th minute)

Paris Saint-Germain 4-2 Manchester City:

Venue: Parc des Princes, Paris

22-01-2025, Matchday 7 

Player of the Match: Joao Neves (1 goal, 0 assists, 92% passing accuracy, PSG, Mid-fielder)

Goal scorers for PSG:

• Ousmane Dembele (56th minute)
• Bradley Barcola (60th minute)
• Joao Neves (78th minute)
• Goncalo Ramos (90+3rd minute)

Goal scorers for Man City:

• Jack Grealish (50th minute)
• Erling Haaland (53rd minute)

Sparta Praha 0-1 Inter:

Venue: Stadion Letna, Prague

22-01-2025, Matchday 7

Player of the Match: Lautaro Martinez (1 goal, 4 attempts, 0 assists, Inter Milan, Striker)

Goal scorer for Inter:

• Lautaro Martinez (12th minute)

Arsenal 3-0 GNK Dinamo:

Venue: Arsenal Stadium, London

22-01-2025, Matchday 7

Player of the Match: Kai Havertz (1goal, 1assist, passing accuracy 71%, Arsenal, Striker)

Goal scorers for Arsenal:

• Declan Rice (2nd minute)
• Kai Havertz (66th minute)
• Martin Odegaard (90+1st minute)

Celtic 1-0 Young Boys

Venue: Celtic Park, Glasglow

22-01-2025, Matchday 7

Red Card: Daizen Maeda (89th minute)

Player of the Match: Marvin Keller (Goalkeeper, Young Boys, 7 saves)

• Loris Benito scored an own goal for Celtic

Feyenoord 3-0 Bayern Munich:

Venue: Stadion Feijenoord' De' Kuip, Rotterdam

22-01-2025, Matchday 7

Red Card: Sven Ulreich (Goalkeeper, 90th minute, Bayern Munich)

Player of the Match: Justin Bijlow (Feyenoord, Goalkeeper, 7 saves, 1 clean sheet)

Goal scorers for Feyenoord:

• Santiago Gimenez (21st & 45+9th minute)
• Ayase Ueda (89th minute)

AC Milan 1-0 Girona:

Venue: Stadio San Siro, Milan

22-01-2025, Matchday 7

Player of the Match: Rafael Leao (Striker, AC Milan, 1 goal, 5 attempts)

Goal Scorer for AC Milan:

• Rafael Leao (37th minute)

Slovan Bratislavia 1-3 Stuttgart:

Venue: Nardony futbalovy Stadion, Bratislavia

21-01-2025, Matchday 7

Player of the Match: Jamie Leweling (2 goals, 6 attempts, Stuttgart)

Goal scorers for Stuttgart:

• Jamie Leweling (11th & 36th minute)
• Fabian Rieder (87th minute)

Goal scorer for Slovan:

• Idjessi Metsoko (85th minute)

Club Brugge 0-0 Juventus:

Venue: Jan Breydelstadion, Bruges

21-01-2025, Matchday 7

Player of the Match:  Federico Gatti (1 tackle, balls recovered 4, Defender, Juventus)

• The match ends with an epic 0-0 draw.

Atletico Madrid 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen:

Venue: Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid

21-01-2025, Matchday 7

Red Cards:

• Pablo Barrios (23rd Minute, Atletico Madrid)
• Piero Hincapie (76th Minute, Bayer Leverkusen)

Player of the Match: Julian Alvarez (2 goals, 3 attempts, Striker, Atletico Madrid)

Goal scorer for Atletico:

• Julian Alvarez (52nd & 90th Minute)

Goal scorer for Bayer Leverkusen:

• Piero Hincapie (45+1st minute)

Benfica 4-5 Barcelona:

Venue: Estadio do SL Benfica, Lisbon

21-01-2025, Matchday 7

Red Cards: Arthur Cabral (90th minute, Benfica)

Player of the Match: Raphinha (Winger, Barcelona, 2 goals, 7 attempts)

Goal scorers for FC Barcelona:

• Robert Lewandowski (13th minute (penalty), 78th minute (penalty))
• Raphinha (64th minute, 90+6th minute)
• Eric Garcia (86th minute)

Goal scorer for Benfica:

• Vangelis Pavlidis (2nd, 22nd & 30th (penalty) minute)
• Ronald Araujo (68th minute, Own Goal)

Liverpool 2-1 LOSC Lille:

Venue: Anfield Stadium, Liverpool

21-01-2025, Matchday7

Red card: Aissa Mandi (59th minute, LOSC Lille)

Player of the Match: Mohamed Salah (Winger, Liverpool, 1 goal, 6 attempts)

Goal scorer for Liverpool:

• Mohamed Salah (34th minute)
• Harvey Elliot (67th minute)

Goal scorers for Lille: 

• Jonathan David (62nd minute)

Bologna 2-1 Borussia Dortmund:

Venue:  Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Bologna

21-01-2025, Matchday 7

Player of the Match: Thijs Dallinga (Bologna, 1 goal, 2 attempts)

Goal scorers for Bologna:

• Thijs Dallinga (71st minute)
• Samuel lling-Junior (72nd minute)

Goal scorer for Dortmund:

• Serhou Guirassy (15th minute, penalty)

Crvena Zvezda 2-3 PSV Eindhoven: 

Venue: Stadio Rajko Mitic, Belgrade

21-01-2025, Matchday 7

Red card: Ryan Flamingo (PSV Eindhoven, 50th minute)

Player of the Match: Luuk De Jong (PSV, Striker, 2 goals, 3 attempts)

Goal scorer for PSV: 

• Luuk De Jong (17th & 23rd minute)
• Ryan Flamingo (43rd minute)

Goal scorer for Crvena:

• Cherif Ndiaye (71st minute)
• Jakuba Naser Diga (77th minute)

RB Leipzig 2-1 Sporting CP:

Venue: Red Bull Arena, Leipzig

21-01-2025, Matchday7

Player of the Match: Benjamin Sesko (Leipzig, 1 goal, 3 attempts)

Goal scorers for RB Leipzig:

• Benjamin Sesko (19th minute)
• Yussuf Poulsen (78th minute)

Goal scorer for Sporting:

• Viktor Gyokeres (75th minute)

Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 Brest:

Venue: Arena Aufschalke, Gelsenkirchen 

21-01-2025, Matchday 7

Player of the Match: Georgiy Sutdakov (Shakhtar, 1 goal, 81% passing accuracy)

Goal scorers for Shakhtar:

• Kevin Santos (18th minute)
• Georgiy Sudakov (37th minute, Penalty)

Atalanta 5-0 Strum Graz:

Venue: Stadio di Bergamo, Bergamo

21-01-2025, Matchday 07

 Player of the Match: Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta, 1 goal, 4 attempts, 1 assist)

Goal scorer for Atalanta:

• Mateo Retegui (12th minute)
• Mario Pasalic (58th minute)
• Charles De Ketelaere (63rd minute)
• Ademola Lookman (90th minute)
• Marco Brescianini (90+4th minute)

Monaco 1-0 Aston Villa:

Venue: Stade Louis II, Monaco

21-01-2025, Matchday7

Player of the match: Wilfried Singo (Monaco, 1 goal, 12 balls recovered)

Goal scorer for Monaco:

• Wilfried Singo (8th minute)

Match day 8 fixtures: