/ Milan get first points while Stuttgart ensure first win

Tijjani Reijnders made sure AC Milan got their Champions League campaign up and running with a decisive brace in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over 10-man Club Brugge at the San Siro while Stuttgart’s El Bilal Toure snatched a last-gasp 1-0 win over Juventus to help the German side to their first win in the tournament this season.
Netherlands midfielder Reijnders stroked home two fine finishes in the 61st and 71st minutes to give Milan their first points in this year’s revamped competition.
Before Reijnders struck Milan had struggled to deal with Brugge, who had levelled Christian Pulisic’s opening goal — netted straight from a 34th-minute corner — through Kyriani Sabbe six minutes after the break.
At that point Brugge, who are also on three points, were down to 10 men as Raphael Onyedika was shown a straight red card in the 40th minute for accidentally stamping on Reijnders’ ankle.
Reijnders’ two goals, both classy first-time strikes, were almost outshone by a beautiful late header from 16-year-old Francesco Camarda.
The promising youngster whipped off his shirt and slid on his knees in joy at becoming the youngest ever goalscorer in the history of the Champions League, only to see his superbly taken goal rightly ruled for offside.
“His goal being disallowed was disappointing for him. He and the team deserved that moment,” said Fonseca to Sky.
“He deserves to be in the squad, he’s worked very hard to be here. He’ll score plenty of goals in the future, today was just the beginning.”
Tuesday’s win was big for Milan as the seven-time European champions have to travel to Real Madrid in their next continental fixture and anything but three points at the San Siro could have put at risk their qualification for the knockout phase.
As at the weekend Tuesday’s match was largely played in front of a flat crowd as Milan’s hardcore ultras again stood in silence, this time in protest at high ticket prices which have infuriated both ultras and regular supporters.
Fans were stunned to see the cheapest general sale tickets for Milan’s upcoming domestic fixture against Juventus priced at 100 euros, with the highest 479 euros.
The major supporters club AIMC, which is affiliated with Milan and brings together tens of thousands of fans, blasted the club for its ticketing policy which it claims is favouring “rich foreign tourists or casual fans”.
Only 58,649 people showed up for Tuesday’s match, way down on the more than 70,000 fans that usually pack into San Siro for both Milan and Inter’s Serie A matches.
“We’re not cows to be milked, we’re not just here to fill the stadium for the lesser matches, we’re not just here to fill the club museum or San Siro’s car parks with 120 coaches every time we play at home,” said AIMC in an angry statement released on Tuesday.
Fans will watch with interest developments in the latest joint effort with Inter Milan to build a new stadium near the current San Siro which was announced earlier on Tuesday.
One of the criticisms of the previous project which was abandoned by the two clubs last year was a drastic reduction in capacity and increase in high-priced hospitality seating.
Toure scored in stoppage time to help Stuttgart taste their first win in this season’s revamped Champions League as they edged out Juventus.
Mali forward Toure, who signed for Stuttgart on loan from Atalanta in the summer, lashed in the decisive goal in the second minute of added time just as Juve goalkeeper Mattia Perin thought he had saved a point for his team.
Moments before Perin flung himself to his right to deny Enzo Millot from the penalty spot, capping what looked like to be a hugely impressive rare start between the sticks.
Instead, with Juve down to 10 men due to Danilo being sent off for the foul which gave away the penalty, Toure showed quick feet in the box before finishing past Perin to inflict a first defeat of the season on Juve, who also lose their perfect record in the competition.
Stuttgart moved up to 16th place on four points with Tuesday’s win, while Juve, on six points, dropped out of the top eight positions which give direct qualification for the last 16.