AC Milan 1 - Barcelona 0

Milan: Dida; Cafú, Nesta, Stam, Maldini; Gattuso, Pirlo, Kaká (Serginho 83'), Seedorf; Shevchenko (Crespo 89'), Inzaghi (Ambrosini 76'). 4-4-2.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Belletti, Oleguer, Puyol, Gio Van Bronckhorst; Xavi, Edmilson, Deco; Larsson, Ronaldinho, Eto'o (Iniesta 69'). 4-3-3.

Goals:
1-0. 31. Shevchenko. Beat Valdés with far post header from Cafú's cross.

Barcelona lost their first official match of the season, AC Milan running out 1-0 winners in this third match of the group stage. Both sides came in to the game with a 100% record, but Frank Rijkaard had to pack his substitutes' bench with reserves due to injuries to may of his squad. The Italian side had the better of the early chances, with Shevchenko in particular bringing a couple of good saves out of Víctor Valdés. Larsson though headed over the crossbar in the seventeenth minute, and the Swedish striker came close to giving his side the lead when he picked up a pass from Eto'o and fired a shot against the bar only two minutes later.

Milan though were dangerous in attack, and shortly after Van Bronckhorst cleared an effort from Shevchenko, the Ukrainian striker found a gap between Oleguer and Belletti to head Cafú's cross past Valdés for the opening goal. Barça fought back, with Deco thinking himself unlucky not to be given a penalty just before the break after he was pulled back by Nesta, and Ronaldinho having an effort turned around the post by his Brazilian team mate Dida after the restart. Belletti also fired a shot just wide of the post, but the best chance of the lot fell to substitute Iniesta in the last minute, Ronaldinho and Xavi combining to set him up but the youngster's shot bouncing back off the crossbar. The Catalans stay in second place in the table though, and have a chance to get their own back when the fixtures are reversed in a fortnight's time.