Dortmund and AC Milan play out draw

Borussia Dortmund 0-0 AC Milan 

Dortmund lost to Paris Saint-Germain in their first game in the section, but they welcomed Milan to the Signal Iduna Park boasting a solid home record in the Champions League. The Black-and-Yellows were beaten just once in their previous 15 games in the tournament's group stages and the hosts were also buoyed by a weekend win at Hoffenheim. Despite that, it was seven-time European champions Milan who made the brighter start to this encounter. When Tommaso Pobega had efforts blocked out by Mats Hummels and Salih Özcan, BVB sparked into life. Donyell Malen went close with a shot that narrowly missed the targe,t while Mike Maignan then smartly saved from Niclas Füllkrug. At the other end, Olivier Giroud went close after the hosts failed to clear from a corner, before Ramy Bensebaini again found Maignan in top form. 

Christian Pulisic once set Dortmund's stadium alight with some spectacular performances during the USMNT international's successful stay in Germany. Now kitted out in Milan's colours, however, the American had local hearts in mouths when he spun and shot at goal, forcing Gregor Kobel into a fine save to rescue the hosts. Eager to get in on the action having recently penned a contract extension at Dortmund, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens was subbed on for Malen and almost made an immediate impact. The England youth international moved in from the left before firing at goal and looked on as his effort flew over the crossbar. Samuel Chukwueze and Tijjani Reijnders could have won it at the death for the Rossoneri, but Dortmund survived to take a point that nonetheless leaves them playing catch-up at the bottom of the group with a trip to section leaders Newcastle to come on 4 October. 

Match stats

• Dortmund have now lost just one of their 16 group games at home in the Champions League since the start of 2018/19 (W9, D6).
• Milan’s Pulisic made his 50th Champions League appearance (the first 22 were for Borussia), which is twice as many as any other American (former Schalke midfielder Weston McKennie, 24).
• Die Schwarzgelben are one of only two German teams to have beaten Milan in the Champions League, winning 1-0 in Dortmund in March 2003. The other was Hertha Berlin in October 1999.
• That 2002/03 campaign was the only previous time Dortmund and AC met in the Champions League. Each team won their home game 1-0 in the second group stage as Milan went on to lift the trophy.
• The previous year, Borussia had beaten the Rossoneri 4-0 at home in the first leg of the UEFA Cup semis to advance to the final.

>>> Find out more about 60 years of the Bundesliga here!

Teams

Dortmund: Kobel - Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini - Can (c), Özcan - Malen (Bynoe-Gittens 72'), Reus (Nmecha 72'), Brandt (Adeyemi 64') - Füllkrug (Moukoko 85')
Unused subs: Meyer, Lotka, Reyna, Haller, Wolf, Süle
Out: Meunier (hamstring), Morey (knee), Sabitzer (groin)
Coach: Edin Terzić 

Milan: Maignan - Calabria (c) (Floernzi 69'), Thiaw, Tomori, Hernández - Musan, Pobega (Adli 58'), Reijnders - Pulisic (Chukwueze 69'), Giroud (Okafor 69'), Leão
Unused subs: Sportiello, Mirante, Jović, Kjær, Bartesaghi
Out: Bennacer (knee), Caldara (ankle), Kalulu (muscular), Krunić (muscular), Loftus-Cheek (adductor)
Coach: Stefano Pioli

As it happened!