Spurs were so far superior to Milan last night that the impenetrable Rossoneri that once swept aside every English team that ever visited the San Siro is now just a fading memory. Redknapp’s charges showed unbridled ambition in their approach: they knew they had to set their stall out, sneak an away goal and take a lead back to the Lane. That they did, expertly.

That Gareth Bale wasn’t in the slightest bit missed is a testament to how compact they were and even when Vedran Corluka’s night was ended by Mathieu Flamini’s horror studs-up tackle, they remained composed. Hell, even Jonathon Woodgate (who hasn’t played a competitive match since November 2009) played a role on a night when Spurs showed what a superb team they are turning out to be. I believed their ‘experience’ in the San Siro against Inter last October would be a positive one, despite their defeat, and that’s exactly what showed. They played as if they’d been competing in Europe’s premier club competition for years.

I was concerned that Milan’s experience would usurp Spurs’ exuberance. Far from it, Milan looked a grim shade of their former selves and when Peter Crouch scored that late winner, the Rossoneri’s frustrations boiled over. Ibrahimovic and Robinho would probably earn a starting berth in the “Team of Most Overrated Players”, that’s how poor they were. They showed no imagination, valour or commitment and that Milan are currently unbeaten in 10 league games and top of Serie A is a perhaps a glaring indictment on the state of Italian football.

One poor game will not dash Massimiliano Allegri’s hopes, but Tottenham’s rise has been simply astonishing. They suit the European style; they’re breath-taking to watch, disciplined and have shown that they are more than capable of travelling to cauldrons and coming away with their heads up.

Gattuso’s idiocy was a result of Spurs exceeding expectations and I’d hate to be a Milan player facing the task of trailing in the second leg with those North Londoners giving me an earful. If there was any doubt that Redknapp’s men would wilt under the occasion, that’s just pre-match twaddle now.

[Source: Sky Sports]

Main image via the Guardian.