Redknapp radiant but Milan unbowed

Though it was far from plain sailing for Tottenham Hotspur FC, manager Harry Redknapp hailed his side's decision-making and resolve in their 1-0 win at AC Milan. Despite that priceless away goal, Rossoneri coach Massimiliano Allegri is confident his team can turn the tables at White Hart Lane on 9 March and reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

Harry Redknapp, Tottenham manager
It was a fantastic performance, the lads were brilliant. In the first half we were by far the better team. I knew they would press in the second half and it was hard not to drop deep, but the lads at the back were magnificent. We hit them on the break and it was well deserved. For the first 25 minutes we were the better team.

We said at half-time to give the ball to [Aaron] Lennon as he had the beating of his man. He did fantastically to square it [for the goal]. The whole team were magnificent, every one of them did their job. [Heurelho] Gomes made big saves at vital times. It was a great night for the crowd. It was important to play in the right areas and pick the right ball – and we did.

Massimiliano Allegri, Milan coach
The mistake with that counterattack cost us a lot. We were pushing hard at that time, trying to gain an advantage. Tottenham defended well and closed down all the space – it had been a really difficult game for us. We made too many mistakes, especially when we were not in possession. Tottenham were effective on the counterattack and we didn't succeed in attacking them in the first half.

We played better after the restart, even if we were only dangerous from free-kicks. This defeat is a pity because Tottenham didn't create many chances and now we must overturn this result in London. It will be a different game, but I think qualification is still up for grabs. We have to play with balance and have faith in our quality.