AC Milan team profile

Only Real Madrid CF have won more European Champion Clubs' Cups than AC Milan - but even the holders have been outdone by the Rossoneri in this campaign.

Defensive strength
Whether Carlo Ancelotti's side are as good as the Milan team who dominated Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s is yet to be proven. But their defensive strength remains - hardly surprising, since Paolo Maldini remains from that previous heyday, in a rearguard bolstered this season by the arrival of Alessandro Nesta from S.S. Lazio. Six clean sheets and only 13 goals conceded in 14 UEFA Champions League matches is a superb return.

Inzaghi goals
Further forward, Filipo Inzaghi's eight goals in the first four group stage matches ensured a tough pool was negotiated without difficulty, and if he has not scored, Andriy Shevchenko, Rivaldo and Jon Dahl Tomasson can all make their mark - the Danish striker so importantly against AFC Ajax. In midfield, Clarence Seedorf and Rui Costa provide both flair and reliability.

Qualification

Thrilling form
It took just four matches for Milan to negotiate a first group stage pool containing RC Deportivo La Coruña, RC Lens and FC Bayern München. Inzaghi was in thrilling form, a hat-trick in the 4-0 win at Deportivo the highlight, as Lens, the Spanish team then Bayern - twice - were beaten. The last two matches were lost, but the group was safe.

Single goal victories
The 1-0 scoreline by which Madrid were beaten in the opening fixture was then matched either side of the winter break by identical single-goal victories at BV Borussia Dortmund and home and away against FC Lokomotiv Moskva. Again, Milan were now through, so defeats by Madrid and Dortmund were only significant to the victors.

Revenge is sweet
Ajax, who beat Milan in the 1995 final, awaited in the last eight. The first leg in Amsterdam was goalless, and by the time the return came along, it was known that Internazionale FC would be the winners' semi-final opposition. Maybe that was the incentive Milan needed, because although they twice had leads cancelled out in the second leg, Tomasson struck in added time to set up the Inter meeting.

Significant past players: Gianni Rivera, Marco van Basten

Achievements: European Champion Clubs' Cup winners 1962/63, 1968/69, 1988/89, 1989/90, 1993/94  UEFA Cup Winners' Cup winners 1967/68, 1972/73