MILAN — Julian Carranza, a forward for Feyenoord, showcased his resilience on Tuesday by stepping up in a crucial moment during their Champions League encounter against AC Milan. Recently recovering from illness, Carranza knew that extending the match into extra time would be a challenge, but he rectified that by scoring the decisive goal helping his team to secure a spot in the last 16 of the tournament.
Carranza, who made a substitute appearance in the 64th minute, marked his impact in the 73rd minute with a header that equalized the match at 1-1, after former Feyenoord player Santiago Giménez had put Milan ahead just seconds into the game. The fortunate turn of events for Feyenoord became even sweeter because Milan was down to ten players following the sending off of Theo Hernandez. Carranza’s header came from a well-placed cross by teammate Hugo Bueno, sealing a 2-1 aggregate victory for the Dutch club.
“I was really feeling unwell and still do,” Carranza admitted after the match. “To be frank, playing through extra time was going to be really taxing on me. Every few minutes during play, I found myself coughing because I wasn’t feeling at my best. I needed to score to prevent the extra time, and that’s exactly what happened,” Carranza revealed with a smile.
Carranza’s effort marks a significant moment in his career; he stated, “This is, without a doubt, the most important goal I’ve ever scored, and I couldn’t be happier.” With a fever the night prior to the match, he persevered and contributed crucially to his team’s historic achievement, as this is the first time Feyenoord has advanced to the Champions League last 16 since the competition adopted its current format.
Feyenoord’s last notable success in European football was winning the old European Cup back in 1970, when they triumphed over Celtic in a thrilling final, also held at San Siro. The club celebrated its current achievement on social media, marking another memorable moment at the famed stadium.
Looking ahead, Feyenoord will face either Inter Milan or Arsenal in the round of 16, with the first leg scheduled for early March. Additionally, Liverpool will also be among the last 16 teams, and it’s noteworthy that their manager, Arne Slot, previously coached Feyenoord.
