A second half strike from Ludovic Giuly gave Barcelona a priceless 1-0 win in Milan as they deservedly claimed the spoils in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final.
Former Milan team-mates Frank Rijkaard and Carlo Ancelotti led their troops into battle at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, and it was the Dutchman who took one step towards the final on May 17 when Giuly rifled home on 57 minutes.
The Serie A side had the greater European pedigree with six titles under their belt, but it is Barcelona who currently capture the imagination and they dealt a decisive blow to the ageing Rossoneri who failed to impress in their third semi-final in four years.
Willed on by a cacophony of noise in the early minutes, Milan dominated the opening exchanges and after quarter of an hour they could have found themselves a goal ahead.
Brazilian schemer Kaka had already been denied by a superb recovering tackle from Carles Puyol when Rafael Marquez and Oleguer failed to clear a throw-in, but Alberto Gilardino could only drill a shot against the near post as the ball fell invitingly at his feet.
Just 60 seconds later Victor Valdes had to be alert at his opposite post as Andrei Shevchenko stooped to connect with a header after a superb cross from Clarence Seedorf, and the Barca shot stopper scrambled the ball clear.
Playing to the relative national stereotypes of the two footballing nations Milan's robust defence were shackling Barca's artists, none more so than Jaap Stam who was proving a real test for Ronaldinho, but Los Cules began to grow in stature and found the San Siro pitch a more willing canvas as the half wore on.
Cameroon star Samuel Eto'o gave a hint of his deadly threat on 23 minutes as he evaded Gennaro Gattuso and lashed a shot at Dida, and Ronaldinho was unable to similarly test his countryman as he struck a free-kick against the wall before seeing his follow up shot loop over the bar off the head of Alessandro Nesta.
The third member of Rijkaard's attacking triumvirate, the French forward Giuly, also proved a threat and only a lightning charge from Dida prevented the Barca star from having a shot at goal before he later snatched at another chance after intricate work on the edge of the box from his strike partners.
For Milan Andrea Pirlo was looking to pull the strings as always, but it was the man at the sharp end of Ancelotti's midfield, Kaka, who again tormented Puyol and coaxed the Spain defender into receiving a yellow card as he fell easily under a sliding challenge on 34 minutes.
Pirlo was unable to test Valdes with a dipping shot from the resultant set-piece, and the schemer was unlucky to see another beautiful pass for Gilardino wasted due to a close offside decision.
Eto'o was given far too much space by Kakha Kaladze as Barca searched for a valuable away goal, but he fired his shot well over as the half drew to a close and left the tie firmly in the balance.
After the restart the Rossoneri wasted another glorious chance to edge in front of the Catalan visitors, and it was Shevchenko who was the creator with a superb flick of the boot to release Kaka in the box.
However the Brazilian opted to square for Gilardino when he could have gone for goal, and the former Parma front-man was again found wanting as he turned his effort past the upright.
Just six minutes later the Serie A side were left rueing their failure to score when Barca claimed a crucial away goal, and unsurprisingly it was the supremely gifted boot of Ronaldinho that conjured up the chance as he held off the challenge of Gattuso, delayed for a second, then clipped a sumptuous pass through for Giuly.
The Frenchman still had a lot of work to do as the bouncing ball began to drift out wide, but he produced a fierce left-foot drive to lash the ball past Dida at his near post.
The goal seemed to hurt Milan psychologically and the Liga leaders were inches away from doubling the lead on 64 minutes after the irrepressible Giuly robbed Seedorf in possession to spark a break that resulted in Ronaldinho caressing a low shot against the upright.
Two minutes later it was Iniesta who tried to take advantage of Milan's instability as he curled his shot into the hands of Dida after more fine build-up play from Los Cules, and the home side were visibly lacking in inspiration and confidence.
However Kaka was able to drive forward before sending a fierce shot off target, before Eto'o restated Barca's threat when he skipped inside Stam after another prescient pass from Ronaldinho and arrowed his shot wide.
Ancelotti had introduced all three substitutes with ageing full-backs Paolo Maldini and Cafu entering the fray, but it was Massimo Ambrosini who could have affected the score line as he mis-hit a volley before collecting a glorious reverse pass from Kaka and dragging his shot wide from inside the box with the goal at his mercy.
Rossoneri hero Maldini also threatened but the defender watched Valdes pluck his header out of thin air in the dying minutes, and Kaka managed to breach the Barca defence again before rifling his shot wide.
As Barca played out the final minutes their thoughts will have been wandering to Camp Nou where Milan will need to produce a mammoth performance if they are to book their second final appearance in a row.
Former Milan team-mates Frank Rijkaard and Carlo Ancelotti led their troops into battle at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, and it was the Dutchman who took one step towards the final on May 17 when Giuly rifled home on 57 minutes.
The Serie A side had the greater European pedigree with six titles under their belt, but it is Barcelona who currently capture the imagination and they dealt a decisive blow to the ageing Rossoneri who failed to impress in their third semi-final in four years.
Willed on by a cacophony of noise in the early minutes, Milan dominated the opening exchanges and after quarter of an hour they could have found themselves a goal ahead.
Brazilian schemer Kaka had already been denied by a superb recovering tackle from Carles Puyol when Rafael Marquez and Oleguer failed to clear a throw-in, but Alberto Gilardino could only drill a shot against the near post as the ball fell invitingly at his feet.
Just 60 seconds later Victor Valdes had to be alert at his opposite post as Andrei Shevchenko stooped to connect with a header after a superb cross from Clarence Seedorf, and the Barca shot stopper scrambled the ball clear.
Playing to the relative national stereotypes of the two footballing nations Milan's robust defence were shackling Barca's artists, none more so than Jaap Stam who was proving a real test for Ronaldinho, but Los Cules began to grow in stature and found the San Siro pitch a more willing canvas as the half wore on.
Cameroon star Samuel Eto'o gave a hint of his deadly threat on 23 minutes as he evaded Gennaro Gattuso and lashed a shot at Dida, and Ronaldinho was unable to similarly test his countryman as he struck a free-kick against the wall before seeing his follow up shot loop over the bar off the head of Alessandro Nesta.
The third member of Rijkaard's attacking triumvirate, the French forward Giuly, also proved a threat and only a lightning charge from Dida prevented the Barca star from having a shot at goal before he later snatched at another chance after intricate work on the edge of the box from his strike partners.
For Milan Andrea Pirlo was looking to pull the strings as always, but it was the man at the sharp end of Ancelotti's midfield, Kaka, who again tormented Puyol and coaxed the Spain defender into receiving a yellow card as he fell easily under a sliding challenge on 34 minutes.
Pirlo was unable to test Valdes with a dipping shot from the resultant set-piece, and the schemer was unlucky to see another beautiful pass for Gilardino wasted due to a close offside decision.
Eto'o was given far too much space by Kakha Kaladze as Barca searched for a valuable away goal, but he fired his shot well over as the half drew to a close and left the tie firmly in the balance.
After the restart the Rossoneri wasted another glorious chance to edge in front of the Catalan visitors, and it was Shevchenko who was the creator with a superb flick of the boot to release Kaka in the box.
However the Brazilian opted to square for Gilardino when he could have gone for goal, and the former Parma front-man was again found wanting as he turned his effort past the upright.
Just six minutes later the Serie A side were left rueing their failure to score when Barca claimed a crucial away goal, and unsurprisingly it was the supremely gifted boot of Ronaldinho that conjured up the chance as he held off the challenge of Gattuso, delayed for a second, then clipped a sumptuous pass through for Giuly.
The Frenchman still had a lot of work to do as the bouncing ball began to drift out wide, but he produced a fierce left-foot drive to lash the ball past Dida at his near post.
The goal seemed to hurt Milan psychologically and the Liga leaders were inches away from doubling the lead on 64 minutes after the irrepressible Giuly robbed Seedorf in possession to spark a break that resulted in Ronaldinho caressing a low shot against the upright.
Two minutes later it was Iniesta who tried to take advantage of Milan's instability as he curled his shot into the hands of Dida after more fine build-up play from Los Cules, and the home side were visibly lacking in inspiration and confidence.
However Kaka was able to drive forward before sending a fierce shot off target, before Eto'o restated Barca's threat when he skipped inside Stam after another prescient pass from Ronaldinho and arrowed his shot wide.
Ancelotti had introduced all three substitutes with ageing full-backs Paolo Maldini and Cafu entering the fray, but it was Massimo Ambrosini who could have affected the score line as he mis-hit a volley before collecting a glorious reverse pass from Kaka and dragging his shot wide from inside the box with the goal at his mercy.
Rossoneri hero Maldini also threatened but the defender watched Valdes pluck his header out of thin air in the dying minutes, and Kaka managed to breach the Barca defence again before rifling his shot wide.
As Barca played out the final minutes their thoughts will have been wandering to Camp Nou where Milan will need to produce a mammoth performance if they are to book their second final appearance in a row.
