Source: Daily_Mail
Tottenham 0 AC Milan 0: Spurs clinch last eight spot
[LNB]Rarely has a contest like this been met with such rapturous applause at White Hart Lane but in the end it was a night for Tottenham to savour and a night for revelling in the sheer glory of their achievement. [LNB]'Are you watching Arsenal,' their supporters cried at the final whistle, and understandably so.[LNB] Tottenham can now consider themselves one of the best eight teams in Europe and they deserve to be in that company given the contrasting yet classy, confident performancesthey delivered in the two legs of this tie. [LNB] So close: Tottenham defender Gallas prevents a certain goal by clearing the ball off the line [LNB] [LNB]Adventurous and ambitious enough to secure a stunning single-goal victory in the San Siro, they protected their advantage with a display built on defiance, courage and defensive discipline. [LNB]A display that further demonstrated just how far these Champions League novices have come under the expert of guidance of Harry Redknapp. [LNB]The tension was almost unbearable at times, so bad that Redknapp happily admitted afterwards that it was not a game he enjoyed.[LNB] 'I can't say I did,' he said. 'You just look at that clock and you want the 90 minutes to go.' [LNB]One can only imagine the thoughts that passed through his mind as he stood there, an animated figure on the touchline.[LNB] He had sat in Milan and declared theBarclays Premier League superior to the Italian equivalent and very nearly paid for it when William Gallas made a marvellous clearance on the line in the first half to deny Robinho. [LNB] Under pressure: Gomes pulled off a number of saves to ensure Tottenham's passage through to the next round [LNB] [LNB]Now, Redknapp can pretty much say what he likes about the Italians after the scalps he has taken this season. [LNB]Not just the two residents of the San Siro but the defending European champions and the current leaders of Serie A. [LNB]'That's not Raggy A*** Rovers we've just beaten,' he said. 'That's AC Milan.' [LNB]If truth be told, Milan were fairly disappointing. They dominated the game at times with some neat, fluent football, enjoying 62 per cent of the possession. [LNB]But the failure of the three-pronged attack of Pato, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho to break through Tottenham's defence would have disappointed Massimiliano Allegri enormously. [LNB]That said, Milan's manager must have admired those who stood between his forwards and the Tottenham goal. [LNB]Gallas was magnificent and so was Michael Dawson, while Heurelho Gomes and Benoit Assou-Ekotto were also excellent.[LNB] In the thick of it: Van der Vaart (centre) fights for the ball with Nesta and AC Milan's goalkeeper Abbiati [LNB] In front of them there were some fine individual contributions. [LNB]Sandro was on the periphery of Tottenham's squad earlier this season but he has been outstanding in thetwo legs of this tie, a destructive force but also comfortable on the ball. [LNB]This lacked the drama of the opening leg. [LNB]There were no violent altercations between players and opposing coaching staff. No red card challenges, even if Mathieu Flamini was booked for a naughty challenge on Assou-Ekotto. [LNB]But it was probably because Tottenham were so composed in the way they went about protecting Peter Crouch's first-leg goal. [LNB]While Milan collected three yellow cards, Tottenham picked up not one and they go into next week's quarterfinal draw without a single suspension. [LNB]It says so much about their approach to this competition. [LNB]They have embraced it with style and substance, proving that they can defend with the best of them as well asterrorise the best back fours on the continent. [LNB]It is a range of skills Arsene Wenger can only wish his team possessed when Arsenal compete in Europe. [LNB] Bad day at the office: Ibrahimovic's dismal run of form against English teams continued on Wednesday night[LNB] [LNB]While Tottenham still face the very real possibility of missing out on Champions League football next season, they can now look forward to what comes next in this competitionwith confidence.[LNB] Fabio Capello declared Gareth Bale the world's best player this week but Tottenham pretty much won this tie without him. [LNB]He came on in the 66th minute as a replacement for Rafael van der Vaart, having complained of 'stiff legs' after playing his first 20 minutes of football in six weeks on Sunday, and he was quiet by his own standards. [LNB]If Redknapp can get Bale fit, teams will not want to meet him in the quarter-finals. [LNB]Not even a Barcelona side who, even Redknapp conceded last night, are in a different league from the other main contenders. [LNB]Last night,however, that was the least of Redknapp's concerns. He was only lookingforward to a bacon sandwich and a walk with his dogs, and rightly so.[LNB] Even after everything he achieved atPortsmouth, West Ham and Bournemouth, Redknapp has come of age here at Tottenham and is surely the successor to Fabio Capello as the manager ofEngland.[LNB] Tactically, he was faced with fresh challenges last night. Aaron Lennon had destroyed Luca Antonini in Milanbut with Marek Jankulovski now at left back it was far more difficult for Tottenham to penetrate. [LNB] Back in action: Bale applauds the home fans at the final whistle [LNB]At the opposite end, much was demanded of Tottenham's defenders. [LNB]Dawson had to act fast to prevent Ibrahimovic seizing on a nicely-weighted delivery from Clarence Seedorf and Pato sent a ball whistling across the face of Tottenham's goal. [LNB]While Flamini was being booed with every touch of the ball, it was not affecting the Frenchman or his team-mates. [LNB]There was something more menacing about Milan here at White Hart Lane, something that said they might justbe capable of getting back into this tie. [LNB]They were certainly playing with moreambition. When Dawson failed to cut out a pass from deep there was serious danger, Pato accelerating away and rounding a stranded Gomes before delivering a perfect ball for Robinho. [LNB]Had the Brazilian's poor shot not struck the back of Assou-Ekotto, Gallas might not have been able to makethat decisive clearance off the line. [LNB]It amounted to a major let-off for Redknapp's side, as well as a second shot on target with no reply. [LNB] Down and out: Pato (right) looks on as Spurs celebrate booking their place in the last eight [LNB]Tottenham did respond with a free-kick from Van der Vaart that skimmed the roof of the Milan net and a further effort from the Dutchman that tested Christian Abbiati, but the Italians continued to attack. [LNB]Whatever Redknapp said at half-time, it did improve matters. [LNB]Tottenham were better after the break, going close when Lennon delivered a cross Crouch could not quite find the power to convert. [LNB]But more anxious moments followed. Not least when Pato threatened with an effort the Italians celebrated in the belief that he had scored, only to realise the ball had flown inches wide. [LNB]It was close, but not close enough against this marvellous Tottenham team. [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] Harrylujah! Spurs boss Redknapp salutes fantastic victory over Milan with a cuppaMartin Samuel: Glorious Tottenham make art of survival a thing of real beauty Tottenham v Milan: Player ratings from the Champions League clash at White Hart LaneWhite Hart Lane Match Zone: How Harry's boys completed the Italian job Flamini: I'm an Arsenal man, I love to duel with Spurs. I'm just like NapoleonCHAMPIONS LEAGUE LIVE: Tottenham 0 AC Milan 0 - the action from White Hart Lane as it happenedAll the latest Tottenham Hotspur news, features and opinion Explore more:People: William Gallas, Peter Crouch, Robinho, Harry Redknapp, Michael Dawson, Fabio Capello, Aaron Lennon, Gareth Bale Places: Milan, Barcelona, United Kingdom, Europe
