Real Madrid, Manchester United, AC Milan and Ajax Amsterdam turned back the European soccer clock on Wednesday to evoke memories of the high-scoring early days of continental club matches in the 1950s and early 1960s.
On a magical night of drama that produced 12 goals and countless thrills, joy and heartaches, Real Madrid and AC Milan emerged as the overall victors by securing their places in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Despite losing 4-3 at Manchester United in the second leg of their quarter-final, European champions Real Madrid moved into the last four 6-5 on aggregate following their 3-1 first leg victory over United.
AC Milan and Ajax also played out a roller-coaster battle at the San Siro, which Milan eventually won 3-2 to seal their place in the semi-finals after a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Amsterdam two weeks ago.
The semi-finals now pitch Real Madrid and Juventus together following Juve's victory over Barcelona on Tuesday.
AC Milan will play arch-rivals and neighbours Inter Milan following Inter's win against Valencia on Tuesday.
It is the first time any Italian clubs have reached the semi-finals since 1999 and the first time three Italian teams have qualified for the last four of the Champions League.
At least one Italian team will be in the final for the first time since 1998 when Real beat Juventus 1-0 in Amsterdam.
The winners of those semis will meet in the final at Old Trafford on May 28 and no-one will be able to argue that the winners of this season's competition have had it easy.
Between them the eight quarter-finalists have been European champions 25 times and they all showed much of their old pedigrees in all eight games played.
REMARKABLE RONALDO
Real Madrid, European champions a record nine times, needed all their old guile and experience to get past United and Wednesday's match at Old Trafford was a classic -- although United's first win over Real since 1968 was ultimately a hollow one for the English club.
Two late goals from David Beckham, reduced to a substitute's role only, gave United victory on the night, but manager Alex Ferguson was left to rue his side's missed chances, while Ronaldo had three goal attempts for Real and scored them all.
"We made chances, some excellent chances, but did not take them and you have to do that against a team like Real," said Ferguson afterwards.
"But good luck to them now, I hope they go on and win it."
Ronaldo put Real ahead after 12 minutes with a thudding strike from the edge of the box but United made it 1-1 on the night when Ruud Van Nistelrooy equalised after 43 minutes, a record-extending 12th Champions League goal this season.
Ronaldo put Real 2-1 up five minutes into the second half and although United struck back almost immediately with Ivan Helguera turning the ball into his own net, Ronaldo really finished United off after 59 minutes.
His superb high drive put Real 6-3 ahead on aggregate -- meaning United needed to score four to win.
They got two of them through Beckham with a free-kick on 71 minutes and another goal after 84 minutes for an old-fashioned looking European scoreline of 4-3 -- but more importantly for the Spaniards left them 6-5 ahead on aggregate and through.
Their progress to the semi-finals was also achieved without the sparkling skills of Raul, who is recovering in Madrid from an appendicitis operation after scoring twice in the first leg.
The 25-year-old has already scored 43 goals in Europe's top competition and is likely to break Alfredo Di Stefano's record of 49 goals in the European Cup set in those early free-scoring days when he played alongside the great Hungarian Ferenc Puskas.
MILAN ROLLER-COASTER
The heart-stopper in Manchester was matched by another in Milan on Wednesday.
With the teams starting at 0-0 after the first leg, any Ajax goal would be worth double in the event of a draw -- and they twice had one foot in the last four.
Filippo Inzaghi's opener put Milan 1-0 up after 30 minutes, but Jari Litmanen tipped the balance Ajax's way on 63 minutes with their equaliser.
Andriy Shevchenko then put Milan back in front after 65 minutes, only for Steven Pienaar to make it 2-2 and put Ajax back in the overall lead on 78 minutes.
Finally, one minute into stoppage time, Milan went ahead again with substitute Jon Dahl Tomasson scoring the winner and sealing their place in the last four.
Inzaghi summed up the entire, emotional night when he said: "We wanted that semi-final at all costs, I feel like I am dying now. I'm delighted, what a great feeling this is.
"It is going to be a tough game with Inter but with the heart we showed tonight we can go a long way".
All the way back to Manchester, perhaps, and another classic.
