For a side who are Champions League novices Tottenham Hotspur showed a worldliness more naturally associated with the club they have eliminated. Having won at San Siro with a Peter Crouch goal, Harry Redknapp's players had the mentality to accept that they needed to be cautious against Milan on their own pitch. Long before the end any inclination to attack had all but vanished.

There are risks in that attitude and, for instance, a deflected shot from Robinho cleared the bar narrowly in stoppage time. If Tottenham were almost entirely conservative, with Crouch speaking afterwards of the intention to defend from the front, it was an outlook that reflected a faith that they had the measure of Milan.

This proved to be an evening of reversed stereotypes. Milan, pallid at home, were rejuvenated and someone like Clarence Seedorf did not conduct himself like a midfielder who turns 35 next month. The compliments to him and other members of Massimiliano Allegri's squad still underline the truth that the leaders of Serie A have been confounded by Champions League rookies.

Perhaps the excitement of an adventure aided Tottenham yet they also drew on powers of concentration to capitalise on the feat accomplished in San Siro. It cannot have been easy to hold their nerve in those periods when Milan summoned up an élan that had appeared utterly beyond them on their own field.

On the whole Tottenham were not flustered by the renewed gusto. Few obvious openings were permitted despite the fact that Alexandre Pato and Robinho seemed to thrive in support of the centre-forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic. In that regard the resilience of Spurs was at the core of this outcome.

The Brazilian Sandro prospered in his defensive midfield role, while the captain, Michael Dawson, was indefatigable in the heart of the back four. This night bore no relation to the buccaneering occasions in the history of European dramas on the White Hart Lane stage, yet the Tottenham line-up has been precocious in adapting itself to this tournament.

Milan hoped, in vain, to shake them with a commitment to attack from the outset. Tottenham had forays of their own here since it would have been torture for themselves and the crowd if the evening were given over wholly to circumspection. There was intermittent enterprise from them but the urgency of a lagging Milan was much fiercer. Spurs shuddered on a few first-half occasions when a goal was almost conceded. A Robinho drive in the 26th minute, for instance, hit Benoît Assou-Ekotto and William Gallas then had to hack the ball clear from the goal-line.

It was a challenge for Tottenham to overcome the psychological difficulty in attacking with zest when victory was not essential. Redknapp saw no reason to restore Gareth Bale to the starting line-up after back trouble, although he did come off the bench eventually. While it was peculiar to see a Premier League team in a conservative mood at home, that was the correct stance.

They would still have been heartened a little when the second half started with an inswinging cross from Aaron Lennon on the right that reached the head of Crouch but instead of attempting to score there was a knock-down to no one in particular. When Tottenham did ruffle the opposition it was sometimes done with counter-attacks. That was a potentially profitable method in view of Lennon's speed and, even if Milan did not quake, it denied them sustained control. With an hour gone Tottenham had struck the balance essential to this delicate contest.

The relish in the stands was unfettered, though, when Mathieu Flamini, notorious for a tackle on Vedran Corluka in the first leg that met with only a yellow card, was cautioned by the referee Franck de Bleeckere in this match.

Milan still had some endeavour and moments before the introduction of Bale there had been near panic in the goalmouth as Tottenham's goalkeeper, Heurelho Gomes, blocked a shot from Robinho without forcing it away to complete safety. The whole side had become tense as they sought a careful route to the full-time whistle.

With the task completed, there should be pause for reflection. This was a most improbable means of making history at Tottenham since this batch of players might have been excused if they had trembled. It is usual to anticipate that a club with the heritage of Milan will embody know-how yet they were at a loss to bring it to bear fully.

Riveting as the wild scoring feats had been against Internazionale in the group stage, Spurs have evidently learned how to be painstaking in the Champions League. It is odd to appreciate that Redknapp's side should have done so much to inflame debates about the calibre of Serie A currently. Tottenham can leave that to others and fans will first crow over their advance in a tournament that Arsenal have left.