Arsenal hit the wall

This remains the team to beat from the San Siro. The side who, year after year, have proved themselves masters of European conflict.

Who now stand between Arsenal and a place in the Champions League quarter-finals with the look that says they know they can take their opponents in their own backyard.

Last night was a mirror image of the encounter we witnessed at Anfield the previous evening. Like then, the team that struggle domestically but dominate on the continent proved superior to the side that dominate domestically but struggle in Europe.

The only difference on this occasion, however, was the nationality of the better team.

This time it was advantage Italy. Not that Arsenal should be too disheartened by a result that at least gives them the chance to progress with a draw should they managed to score a precious away goal in the second leg.

Milan were more than a match for them last night but they were far from outclassed, even if they were prevented from playing their usual attacking game by their streetwise visitors.

Reports of Milan's demise have been greatly exaggerated. This is not a team in decline. Not a team that has suddenly lost its edge when it was only nine months ago that it was repaying Liverpool for the nightmare — for them at least — that was Istanbul.

Since then they have become champions of the world and on last night's evidence there was nothing to suggest they cannot deliver another European crown.

Possibly, given how impressive they were against Inter, after meeting Liverpool in a third such final in four years.

How they continue to perform like this when Paolo Maldini is four months short of his 40th birth day and Zelljko Kalac is their goalkeeper when he once played for Leicester City is a little harder to comprehend.

They do, of course, possess class all over the pitch, not least in Kaka, Andrea Pirlo and a terrific young Brazilian forward called Pato.

It was the remarkable Maldini who forced Jens Lehmann to make the save of the night, the Italian meeting a Clarence Seedorf corner with a header the German goalkeeper did well to guide to safety.

But, for the most part, Milan did a fine job of containing their hosts, Alessandro Nesta performing magnificently for the 50 minutes he survived this bruising contest to prevent the rampant Emmanuel Adebayor from scoring.

The loss of Kolo Toure to injury after seven minutes did not amount to a good start for Arsenal and nor did the corner that came after the defender collapsed to the ground.

The quality of Seedorf 's delivery caused Arsenal problems in the absence of Toure, Lehmann regaining possession only at the second attempt.

Arsenal, nevertheless, looked dangerous in possession, the brilliant Adebayor posing an immediate threat with that wonderful combination of skill, strength and speed.

It took a perfectly timed challenge from Massimo Oddo to deny him at one stage and the sheer determination of Nesta to prevent him from meeting an Emmanuel Eboue cross with a powerful header.

Already, however, it was obvious that this was a very different Milan side to the one Liverpool encountered the previous evening. Unlike their fellow San Siro tenants, they had no desire to sit back with the intention of securing a goalless draw.

If they are a team in decline, and their league position would suggest they are certainly past their best, Kaka and Pato, in particular, had other ideas.

They looked explosive at times, running at Arsenal's back four with great pace as well as poise. It was interesting to see Filippo Inzaghi on the bench, Carlo Ancelotti preferring to deploy Pato and Seedorf either side of Kaka in a 4-3-3 formation.

The duel between Nesta and Adebayor continued at the opposite end, a brief exchange of smiles following a more physical exchange. A mark, quite clearly, of mutual respect.

It remained a fascinating encounter. A contest between a team Fabio Capello considers to be playing the finest football in Europe and one that can currently claim to be world and European champions.

When Adebayor sprinted away from Kakha Kaladze in pursuit of a perfectly weighted ball from Cesc Fabregas, a real chance appeared to have presented itself. Sadly for Arsenal, though, Adebayor's shot floated yards over the Milan crossbar.

With Toure gone and Philippe Senderos now alongside William Gallas, Arsenal were clearly more vulnerable to the genius of Kaka and raw talent of Pato. You could sense the nervousness in their defensive ranks.

But when they went forward they continued to look dangerous, a neatly work move that began with Mathieu Flamini and ended with a shot from the Frenchman testing Kalac for the first time.

Sensing Milan were prepared to settle for a goalless draw, Arsenal attacked with more urgency after the break and almost got what their industry at least deserved when Kaka went close to directing a corner into his own net.

But the nearest they came to victory was at the very end. With 93 minutes on the clock, Adebayor headed against the bar from a Theo Walcott cross.

However, their efforts were to no avail and now they face an anxious trip to the San Siro. A far more daunting one than it will be for Liverpool a week later.

ARSENAL (4-4-2): Lehmann 6; Sagna 6, Toure (Senderos 7, 7min), Gallas 6, Clichy 6; Eboue 6 (Walcott 89), Flamini 5, Fabregas 5, Hleb 7; Adebayor 6, Eduardo 6 (Bendtner 74). Booked: Senderos, Eboue.

AC MILAN (4-3-3): Kalac 7; Oddo 6, Nesta 6 (Jankulovski6, 50), Kaladze 6, Maldini 6; Ambrosini 7, Pirlo 7, Gattuso 6; Seedorf 6 (Emerson 86), Kaka 5, Pato 6 (Gilardino 77). Booked: Pato.

Man of the match: Zeljko Kalac.

Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark).