Italy's sports pages hailed a Milan team reborn, their champions rediscovering the magic touch after a dreadful patch of winter form as they claimed a one-goal advantage over Tottenham.
The Spurs players flew home convinced they could overturn a slender deficit in London and progress to the last eight of the Champions League. 'Tough game away from home but we are only half way,' was Harry Kane's post match message on social media. 'We need to keep fighting all together.'
This tie could go either way from here. It is perfectly poised for a thrilling second leg, when Antonio Conte's team must take the game to opponents who are dangerously direct on the counter-attack.