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AC Milan prove that beauty is in the eye of the beholder:

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Massimiliano AllegriRarely can a goal have been scored which incorporated so many of the requisite qualities needed to make up a top-class football team as that which established AC Milan’s clear first-leg advantage over Barcelona in their last-16 Champions League tie last night.

After the magnificent Massimo Ambrosini’s typical burst of anticipation, power, and athleticism regained possession in the Catalan’s half following Jordi Alba’s throw in, Riccardo Montolivo displayed fantastic vision and technique to deliver a forward pass into the right channel for M’Baye Niang.  The raw 18 year-old substitute, an August recruit from Caen in France, illustrated supreme composure and craft beyond his tender years to move the ball on to Stephan El Shaarawy.

Another tyro bursting with thrilling potential in the Milan ranks, El Shaarawy’s most eye catching work during the previous 81 minutes had been in supplementing his team’s single-minded defensive effort – most notably quelling the threat of Barca’s raiding right-back Dani Alves.

When he found himself in the more familiar territory of an opponent’s penalty area the 20 year-old, having attracted a mass of defensive bodies, belied the physical and mental pressure of a pivotal moment to loft a perfect pass into the path of Sulley Muntari.  From there, the Ghanaian clinically drove a perfect volley across goal, the ball nestling inside Victor Valdes’ left post, and completing the execution of a goal worthy of seeing off the continent’s pre-eminent footballing force.

Fierce determination, speed of thought, confidence, and sublime skill were all combined in what could conceivably turn out to be a decisive few seconds.

Some observes will argue that the second Milan strike was an incongruous occurrence in a predominantly backs-to-the-wall display, in which defensive midfield lynchpin Ambrosini possibly squeezed out the herculean French centre-back Philippe Mexes as the night’s standout performer.

Indeed, after the first 45 minutes some pundits were lamenting an encounter that was not reaching the heights that were so keenly expected prior to kick-off.  That view, however, is reflective of a belief that only end-to-end, chance a minute, goal-laden action, or the mesmerising passing so wonderfully perfected by this Barcelona unit, equate to exciting and captivating football.

While there is something spellbinding about watching Barca’s famed tiki-taka style – and the Spanish national team’s similar approach – take its gradual concussive hold on lesser mortals, and great entertainment can be found watching Reading and Manchester United share seven first-half goals or Newcastle United haul back a four goal deficit against Arsenal, surely contrasting methods contribute much to the unending fascination of the game.

Too much of any one thing is overkill, as the finest club side of this or any era may just be starting to find to their cost.  Chelsea led the way in stifling Barcelona with their heroic defiance over two-legs in last year’s Champions League semi-final.  The Londoners deserved their aggregate victory, but all involved would happily admit to riding a certain amount of luck to progress – particularly during the remarkable return-leg in Spain.

There was nothing fortunate about Milan’s victory.  Immense levels of concentration, and a game-plan followed to the nth degree throughout 93 minutes of unswerving application yielded a score-line the Rossoneri indisputably deserved.

This was a night when – unthinkably – Barcelona ran out of ideas.  Lionel Messi, nominally playing as a ‘false forward’, was unable to impact proceedings in any way to fit with the second word of his nouveau positional description.  From the early minutes, the Argentine was forced back into an already heavily packed midfield in search of the ball.

If the service to Messi wasn’t blocked at source by one of Ambrosini’s dervish like colleagues, the Milan captain was instantly snapping at the heels of the three-time FIFA Ballon d’Or winner, or stealing in front of his esteemed adversary to set his side onto one of their sporadic but purposeful breaks.

That drive exemplified by Ambrosini, whose energy levels belied his 35 years, set the tone for Milan.  The 35 time capped Italian’s experience and knowhow were essential in quashing any Barca attempt to pass their way through the centre of the field, where he was ably assisted by both Montolivo and Muntari.  The latter pair were not short of imagination when in possession, a vital attribute for a team seeking to avoid an entire night spent on the back-foot.

Throughout their golden years, this Barca outfit have carried an air of invincibility despite the vulnerability which exists at the heart of their defence.  Warrior like Carles Puyol and the more refined Gerard Pique have experienced three winning Champions League finals and two triumphant European Championship deciders between them, while also having combined in the middle of the Spanish World Cup winning backline of 2010.  Nevertheless, the decorated duo – in common with all but the most peerless of centre-half’s – don’t relish being exposed to swathes of on-rushing attackers.

Sergio Busquets is deployed in the role for Barcelona that has become arguably more vital than any other – particularly in a side which relies on fluid inter-changing  ball players wreaking havoc in the final third, and equally on both full-backs acting as extra attackers – that of the holding midfield player.

Overpowered by three similar minded opponents in direct combat, Ambrosini, Muntari, and Montolivo, the wonderfully proficient, if cynical, Busquets was unable to stem the flow towards his defensive colleagues whenever a red and black jersey pinched possession.

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