Milan “steel” on a “cold night”

London (Reuters)

AC Milan, the seven-time European champions, qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 11 years, thanks to a disciplined defensive display by the Italian team, to draw 0-0 at Tottenham, and win 1-0 in the two legs.
And on a very cold night in north London, the Italians comfortably preserved their victory with a single goal in the first leg of the round of sixteen in the San Siro, as the London club’s attack was not affecting the visitors’ goal.
Tottenham failed to send any shot towards the visitors’ goal in the first half, as the team’s frustration was exacerbated by coach Antonio Conte getting a warning, after his nerves broke, while his defender Christian Romero got a red card near the end.
Milan could have made the match more comfortable if he took advantage of a few good chances that his players had, but in the end he succeeded in maintaining the result that qualified him for the quarter-finals thanks to a solid defensive performance.
And at a time when coach Stefano Pioli’s team can look forward with optimism, while Tottenham’s season has turned for the worse, after a difficult week in which it also lost in the FA Cup to Sheffield United in the second division, and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League.
Milan may be a little far from their best European days, but despite their lack of the bright names of the 1980s and 1990s, Pioli’s side had plenty of skill, compared to Tottenham who were booed by the crowd at the final whistle.
Pioli said, “We knew that the match would be difficult, but we succeeded. I asked the players to show their personality. We never gave up, and we deserved to qualify, and we succeeded in qualifying for the quarter-finals. Now let’s see what happens in the draw.”