PARIS (AP) ― Powerhouse clubs Real Madrid, AC Milan, Manchester City and Arsenal lost Champions League games Wednesday night, while Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a 2-0 victory at Dinamo Zagreb.
Nine-time European champion Real Madrid lost 2-1 at Borussia Dortmund; seven-time champion Milan’s woeful season continued with a 1-0 loss at Malaga; City blew a 1-0 lead on the way to a 3-1 loss at Ajax; and Arsenal was humbled in a 2-0 home loss to German club Schalke.
“I prepared the players badly for this game,” City manager Roberto Mancini said.
The day after Manchester United scraped a 3-2 win at home to Braga, the erratic form of Premier League teams was again thrust into the spotlight with City conceding sloppy goals and Arsenal’s misfiring forwards being given a lesson in clinical finishing by Schalke.
Madrid defended in numbers, but fell behind on Robert Lewandowski’s goal late in the first half.
