Tresoldi Hat-Trick Sinks Inter at San Siro

Nicolò Tresoldi scored a hat-trick, three goals in one match, as Club Brugge of Belgium beat Inter 4⁠–⁠3 at San Siro in Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, 13 October (UEFA; BBC Sport). His goals came in the 30th minute, from the penalty spot, and in the 63rd and 74th minutes, according to UEFA's match record (UEFA).

The win came at one of the best-known grounds in European football, against a club that reached the Champions League final as recently as 2025, when Inter lost to Paris Saint-Germain (UEFA). For Inter, it deepened a poor run in the competition.

In the Champions League's opening league phase, each of the 36 clubs plays eight matches. The top eight go straight to the round of 16, and the clubs placed ninth to 24th go into a play-off round (UEFA; BBC Sport).

Tresoldi, 22, was born in Italy, plays for Germany's under-21 team and is a lifelong supporter of AC Milan, Inter's city rivals (Football Italia; AFP via The Guardian). That made the night in Milan a personal one.

Brugge went ahead on the half-hour. Hakan Calhanoglu fouled Carlos Forbs in the area, and Tresoldi scored the penalty, a free shot from the spot (UEFA; AFP via The Guardian). Lautaro Martínez equalised for Inter just before half-time (UEFA; AFP via The Guardian).

The second goal came from an Inter mistake. The Inter goalkeeper, Josep Martínez, came out of his goal and missed the ball, and Tresoldi put it into the empty net in the 63rd minute (UEFA; BBC Sport). He completed his hat-trick in the 74th (UEFA; BBC Sport).

Inter did not stop. Lautaro Martínez scored his second of the night in the 81st minute to make it 3⁠–⁠2. Romeo Vermant restored Brugge's two-goal lead in the 87th, and Ange-Yoan Bonny scored for Inter in the third minute of stoppage time, the minutes added on at the end of a half (UEFA; BBC Sport). The final whistle came with Brugge still a goal ahead.

Football Italia reported that Gareth Bale, for Tottenham Hotspur, was the only other player to score a Champions League hat-trick against Inter at San Siro (Football Italia).

"I had dreamed so many times of a night like this, but to score three goals and win here at San Siro is beyond words," Tresoldi told Sky Sport Italia (Football Italia).

For Inter, the defeat was a historic low. BBC Sport said it was the club's fourth Champions League defeat in a row, the first such run in its history (BBC Sport). Inter lost 2⁠–⁠1 at Real Madrid in their opening match of this season's league phase and have no points after two games (BBC Sport; AFP via The Guardian).

Inter's coach, Cristian Chivu, pointed to his team's pressing. "We lost our balance and shape when pressing," he said (Inter).

After two of their eight league-phase matches, Inter are 28th of the 36 clubs with no points, and Club Brugge are 18th with three, according to BBC Sport's table (BBC Sport).

The schedule offers both sides home matches next. Inter play Shakhtar Donetsk at San Siro next week, and Club Brugge play Lens of France in Belgium (AFP via The Guardian).