AC Milan secured their first Champions League points with a 3-1 victory over 10-man Club Brugge, courtesy of a goal directly from a Christian Pulisic corner and a brace from Tijjani Reijnders, both assisted by substitutes.

The Rossoneri had been seeking their first European points after losses to Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen. Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez were back in the starting line-up, with Tammy Abraham, Davide Calabria, Ismael Bennacer, and Alessandro Florenzi sidelined through injury. Club Brugge, who lost to Borussia Dortmund but won 1-0 away at Sturm Graz, were without Gustaf Nilsson and Bjorn Meijer, while former Bologna midfielder Andreas Skov Olsen was struggling with a calf issue.

The visitors made an aggressive start, with Christos Tzolis forcing a save within the opening two minutes. Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan was called into action again shortly after, stretching to tip away a curling effort from Tzolis. From the resulting corner, Joel Ordonez struck the crossbar with a powerful shot that had Maignan beaten.

Milan responded, with Youssouf Fofana drilling a shot wide and Matteo Gabbia heading off target. It wasn’t until the 28th minute that Milan registered their first shot on goal, with Simon Mignolet saving Pulisic's near-post effort following a pass from Leao.

The deadlock was eventually broken in unusual fashion. Pulisic’s in-swinging corner appeared aimed at Gabbia, but the ball skimmed past the defender and caught Mignolet off guard, finding its way into the net.

Just moments later, Club Brugge were reduced to 10 men after Raphael Onyedika’s studs-up challenge on Reijnders. The referee initially awarded a free-kick to Brugge, but after a VAR review, he reversed the decision and sent Onyedika off.

Despite being a man down, Club Brugge found an equaliser early in the second half with a well-crafted move, as substitute Kyriani Sabbe struck a low shot into the bottom corner from 14 yards out.

Milan manager Paulo Fonseca reacted with drastic changes, bringing on substitutes Noah Okafor and Samuel Chukwueze, which immediately paid dividends. Okafor sprinted down the left and pulled the ball back from the by-line for Reijnders, who finished first-time from 12 yards, restoring Milan’s lead. Leao, still walking off behind the goal after being substituted, did not join the celebrations, even when teammates attempted to embrace him.

Milan nearly added a third moments later when Theo Hernandez’s corner was deflected onto the crossbar by Ardon Jashari.

Fonseca’s substitutions continued to prove effective, as Chukwueze replicated Okafor’s assist, pulling the ball back from the right by-line for Reijnders to score his second goal in the opposite corner.

There was also a historic moment late in the match, as 16-year-old Francesco Camarda made his Champions League debut, becoming the youngest-ever player for both Milan and Italy in the competition at 16 years and 226 days.

In a dramatic finish, Camarda thought he had made history as the youngest scorer in the Champions League, flicking in a Reijnders cross from a short corner. However, VAR intervened to rule the goal offside, denying the teenager his moment.

Milan 3-1 Club Brugge

Pulisic 34' (M), Sabbe 51' (B), Reijnders 61', 71' (M)

Sent off: Onyedika 40' (B)