AC Milan's road to Manchester

Having reached the first three UEFA Champions League finals, AC Milan had not progressed to the knockout phase since. That all changed this season, however, as even Real Madrid CF were eclipsed by the Rossoneri.

Inzaghi hits form
Having edged past FC Slovan Liberec in the third qualifying round, Milan were placed in a tough group with RC Deportivo La Coruña, RC Lens and FC Bayern München. Milan were never likely to be the victims, though, after an opening 2-1 win against Lens was followed by a stunning 4-0 victory at Deportivo, Filippo Inzaghi claiming a hat-trick.

Bayern beaten
Inzaghi scored twice more to take his tally to seven in the subsequent 2-1 win at Bayern. And when the 2001 champions were beaten by the same score in Milan - Inzaghi inevitably claiming the winner - Carlo Ancelotti's side were through, Bayern virtually out. Defeats in their final two games would not knock Milan from first place.

One-goal wins
If anyone thought Milan could not top that, opening the second group stage with a 1-0 win against Madrid showed they could. That scoreline proved popular, with Milan's next three matches ended in single-goal victories - away at BV Borussia Dortmund, then twice against FC Lokomotiv Moskva following the winter break.

Mouthwatering draw
Again through with two matches to spare, with the group already wrapped up, Milan could afford another closing pair of losses, 3-1 at an imperious Madrid and 1-0 at home to Dortmund. The subsequent draw was mouthwatering to say the least - in the last eight, a chance to claim revenge for the 1995 final against AFC Ajax, and in the event of victory, a possible match with Internazionale FC.

Scoreless encounter
The first leg of the quarter-final with Ajax was goalless, but the return in Milan could not have been more different, possibly because it was already known that Inter had kept their side of the bargain by seeing off Valencia CF.

Dramatic goal
Twice Milan went ahead, first through Inzaghi - his tenth of the campaign - then through Andriy Shevchenko. However, substitute Jari Litmanen cancelled out the opener, and with 12 minutes left Steven Pienaar gave Ajax the advantage with their second away goal. It was score or bust for Milan, and just as it seemed to be the latter, Jon Dahl Tomasson scored in added time to set up the dream all-San Siro semi.