Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren hailed a 'monumental display' from his stars after a historic night that witnessed a breathtaking 4-1 victory over Basel.
The Teessiders are now in the Uefa Cup semi-finals after overcoming a 2-0 first leg deficit, and an away goal, in quite sensational fashion.
Strikers Mark Viduka, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Massimo Maccarone fired Boro into the final four and McClaren revelled in a display full of fighting spirit and character as he reflected on a memorable night at The Riverside.
"We said before the game it would take a monumental display and performance by the players to come through this," McClaren told ITV.
"Going 1-0 down, and still coming back to win 4-1, its incredible, I've got a happy dressing room in there and deservedly so.
"We felt that the last 20 minutes would be ours, we felt that with the energy they had expended in the first hour, and we've seen it in the past, the last 20 minutes would be ours.
"It was just could we get that early goal. Once we got the second we felt that we could get two in the last 20 minutes but we were running out of time.
"People stepped forward and it was one of them, whether it was written in the cards or what I don't know, but it was a fantastic performance, full of character, great football, opportunities, it swung backwards and forwards.
"I'm delighted for the players in there, and the supporters they were magnificent all night they stayed behind the team, the chairman, everyone involved with Middlesbrough football club.
"This is a historic night and what a way to do it, there is no better way to win a game than how we have just won that."
Hasselbaink's strike on 79 minutes set up a grandstand finish, and the Dutch striker revealed he was desperately unhappy to start on the bench before coming on to help turn the tide for the Premiership outfit.
"Absolutely magnificent. What a night!" said Hasselbaink. "1-0 behind and we win 4-1 - we made history. It's unbelievable.
"I was gutted that I didn't start. And when we went 1-0 behind I thought, `Oh dear, here we go again, it sums up my career with medals'. "When I came on I just thought, `Let's give it everything and look where we can go. This is absolutely magnificent."
The Teessiders are now in the Uefa Cup semi-finals after overcoming a 2-0 first leg deficit, and an away goal, in quite sensational fashion.
Strikers Mark Viduka, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Massimo Maccarone fired Boro into the final four and McClaren revelled in a display full of fighting spirit and character as he reflected on a memorable night at The Riverside.
"We said before the game it would take a monumental display and performance by the players to come through this," McClaren told ITV.
"Going 1-0 down, and still coming back to win 4-1, its incredible, I've got a happy dressing room in there and deservedly so.
"We felt that the last 20 minutes would be ours, we felt that with the energy they had expended in the first hour, and we've seen it in the past, the last 20 minutes would be ours.
"It was just could we get that early goal. Once we got the second we felt that we could get two in the last 20 minutes but we were running out of time.
"People stepped forward and it was one of them, whether it was written in the cards or what I don't know, but it was a fantastic performance, full of character, great football, opportunities, it swung backwards and forwards.
"I'm delighted for the players in there, and the supporters they were magnificent all night they stayed behind the team, the chairman, everyone involved with Middlesbrough football club.
"This is a historic night and what a way to do it, there is no better way to win a game than how we have just won that."
Hasselbaink's strike on 79 minutes set up a grandstand finish, and the Dutch striker revealed he was desperately unhappy to start on the bench before coming on to help turn the tide for the Premiership outfit.
"Absolutely magnificent. What a night!" said Hasselbaink. "1-0 behind and we win 4-1 - we made history. It's unbelievable.
"I was gutted that I didn't start. And when we went 1-0 behind I thought, `Oh dear, here we go again, it sums up my career with medals'. "When I came on I just thought, `Let's give it everything and look where we can go. This is absolutely magnificent."
