AC Milan and Barcelona, with 11 European Cups between them, have had to make do with second billing in the Champions League glamour tie stakes after Real Madrid and Manchester United drew each other. But tonight is the 16th tie between the Rossoneri and the Blaugrana, whose first meetings in the 1959-60 European Champions' Cup resulted in Barça thrashing Milan 7-1 on aggregate. Wolverhampton Wanderers were then slaughtered 9-2 in the quarter-finals.
The clubs went 30 years without facing each other again, in the two-legged 1989 Super Cup, before a steady slew of classics, starting with the 1994 Champions League final.
Here are six of the best goals between the teams...
DEJAN SAVIĆEVIĆ (MILAN), 1994 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
Before Guardiola's Dream Team, there was Johan Cruyff's forefathers, of which Guardiola was a playing member. But all dreams come to an end, and in 1994 Fabio Capello's Milan produced one of the greatest final displays in footballing history to annihilate Cruyff's Barça 4-0.
Savićević, the Yugoslav genius behind Red Star Belgrade's 1991 European Cup win, showed class and poise to lob Andoni Zubizarreta for the third of the game, with the goalkeeper ending up in the back of the net with the ball.
MARCEL DESAILLY (MILAN), 1994 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
Such was the quality of Milan, it is testament to their attacking appetite under Arrigo Sacchi and Capello as they often reneged on the Italian philosophy of catenaccio.
Desailly, arguably better as a defensive midfielder than as a centre-back - where he was a regular for Chelsea - added the coup de grâce in the '94 final. Seizing on a loose ball, he burst forward like an express train before calmly lofting the ball over Zubizarreta for a fourth. It was only the 58th minute too.
RIVALDO (BARÇA), 2000 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE
The Brazilian's quality was much more appreciated worldwide at Barça because they were a fading force for the majority of his Camp Nou career. In Europe, Rivaldo enjoyed one of his greatest nights against Manchester United in November 1998, when he netted twice in a one-man crusade to avoid group stage elimination in an absorbing 3-3 draw.
Fast-forward two years, and the scoreline was the same at the Giuseppe Meazza with Rivaldo responsible for two of the goals. His first - and the game's opener - was an ingenious free-kick. Calling the wall's bluff, he strikes it firmly underneath the soles of their feet, leaving Christian Abbiati helpless.
RONALDINHO (BARÇA), 2004 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE
RIvaldo's heir, Ronaldinho was just as talismanic for Barcelona but reaped more success. He would have to wait another 18 months to loft the European Cup, but his 2004 strike against Milan may have compensated in retrospect.
Pace, movement and an unstoppable finish on his weaker foot, he has admitted it is one of his favourite goals because, by his own admission, he rarely scores left-footers.
LUDOVIC GIULY (BARÇA), 2006 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL
This time Ronaldinho was the architect. Not renowned for his strength due to the speed he exhibited when gliding across the turf, he holds off the pugnacious Rino Gattuso with incredible ease.
Switching from steel to silk, he spots Ludovic Giuly's intelligent run with a perfectly waited pass, and the Frenchman's finish from an acute angle is resounding.
KEVIN-PRINCE BOATENG (MILAN), 2011 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE
The fresh Prince of Milan, Boateng has developed a penchant for the spectacular, and re-affirmed that with a skilful strike past Victor Valdes in November last year.
He shows tremendous poise to flick an awkward ball into his path and, like Giuly, proves that 'keepers aren't always culpable when beaten at their near post.