European soccer's big reputations counted for nothing Wednesday as Real Madrid, AC Milan, Manchester City and Arsenal all lost in the Champions League, while Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win 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, while City blew a 1-0 lead on the way to a 3-1 defeat at Ajax, and Arsenal was humbled by a 2-0 home loss to German club Schalke.
"I prepared the players badly for this game," City manager Roberto Mancini said. "This defeat is my fault."
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 to Robert Lewandowski's goal late in the first half, but the lead lasted barely a minute with Cristiano Ronaldo equalizing from a deft lob.
Defender Marcel Schmelzer scored Dortmund's winner to extend Madrid's terrible record in Germany. The Spanish side has now lost 17 of 24 games in Germany.
Dortmund tops Group D with seven points, one more than Madrid, while City has one and is in real danger of a second consecutive group-stage exit.
