September 21 – Of all the results in the first week of the Champions league and Europa League, arguably the most notable achievement was from a club that actually lost.
In what was a classic David versus Goliath encounter, Luxembourg champions F91 Dudelange suffered a narrow defeat 1-0 by mighty AC Milan on Thursday in what was the first time a club from the tiny country had reached the group stage of a European competition.
Their Group F opener with the seven-time European champions was switched from their 2,558-seater ground to the national stadium, which holds 8,125. And Gonzalo Higuain’s second-half goal was all that separated the sides.
To put the result into perspective, Milan paid €18 million to sign Higuain on loan for 2018-19, while Dudelange’s entire annual budget is €2.5 million.
F91 has only two full-time players and before Thursday’s game, Dudelange director Manou Goergen told the BBC. “It’s extraordinary for the town and the whole country. It’s the first time such big, famous football club will have come to Luxembourg. It’s something we dreamed of.”
Contact the writer of this story moc.l1713607882labto1713607882ofdlr1713607882owedi1713607882sni@w1713607882ahsra1713607882w.wer1713607882dna1713607882