AC Milan’s hopes of reaching the Champions League last 16 were thwarted as Theo Hernandez’s controversial red card for diving helped Feyenoord secure a 1-1 draw and a 2-1 aggregate win.
The Dutch side took full advantage of their numerical superiority, securing a 1-1 draw in the second leg and advancing to the last 16 with a 2-1 aggregate victory over the seven-time European champions.
Hernandez, a key figure in Milan’s attack and defense, had already picked up a yellow card in the first half for lashing out at an opponent after a foul on João Félix.
However, the decisive moment came in the 51st minute, when referee Szymon Marciniak booked him for simulation, reducing Milan to 10 men just as they were gaining control of the match.
The decision proved costly as Milan had been pressing aggressively, looking for a winning goal after Santiago Giménez had netted a first-minute equalizer on aggregate, erasing Feyenoord’s 1-0 first-leg lead.
But Hernandez’s sending-off forced Milan to shift to a defensive approach, allowing Feyenoord to regain confidence.
With Milan struggling to hold on, Feyenoord found their moment in the 73rd minute, when Hugo Bueno delivered a precise cross into the box.
Julián Carranza rose above the Milan defense and powered a header past the goalkeeper, restoring parity on the night and securing Feyenoord’s passage to the round of 16.
Milan’s Santiago Giménez reflected on how the red card changed the course of the match:
“We’re very disappointed. We started well and scored straight away. It seemed like Feyenoord couldn’t hurt us. Today it happened to Theo, but it can happen to anyone. This is soccer. We have the utmost respect for Theo, and we will give him all our support.”
Feyenoord’s Givairo Read was also shown a red card after the final whistle following a post-match confrontation, capping off an emotionally charged night.
Feyenoord’s reward for eliminating Milan is a place in the last 16, where they will face either Inter Milan or Arsenal.
