Two decades on from their most recent Champions League adventure and ten years since the last European away day, Newcastle United made a long-awaited return to UEFA competition on Tuesday.

That 2013 excursion to Lisbon saw fans devise ingenious travel routes and 2023 was no different; a new generation of supporters taking to the skies via a dazzling array of connections after it proved impossible to source charter flights at anything other than inter-galatic prices.   

From Amsterdam to Zadar and all points in between - one enterprising soul routed via Iceland (the country, not the shop) - black and white shirts were visible at airports across Europe, their occupants dreaming of the San Siro and sweating over weather-related delays.

It's all a bit different to working out the best way to Bournemouth, but a nice problem to have.

For European debutant Eddie Howe things also weren't quite as they were in the brochure: opting to stage training on Tyneside the day before the game in preference to the San Siro, but then arriving in Italy less than 24 hours before kick-off due to storms.

Following media interviews for him and Sandro Tonali, the United boss then focused on one of the biggest games of his career - opting to start with the ex-Rossoneri player in one of three changes to the first XI that overcame Brentford. 

Out went Harvey Barnes, Elliot Anderson and Callum Wilson; Anthony Gordon switching back from right to left to accommodate Jacob Murphy and Alexander Isak brought to spearhead the attack.

Led out by birthday boy Kieran Tripper, the massed ranks of Milan ultras in the middle tier of the Curva Sud broke off from incessant whistling as the visiting side was read out to cheer their former favourite. Their chant of "Sandro Tonali, one of us" also prompted a wave of acknowledgement from him.

The game kicked off amid what was to be an almost constant barrage of noise from the home end, amplified drums adding to the din of chanting and clapping, urging on their heroes as they sought to put Sunday's 1-5 hammering at the hands of Inter Milan on this ground behind them.  

A string of opportunities were created and spurned by the hosts; San Siro hero Nick Pope equal to efforts by Tommaso Pobega, Samuel Chukueze and Rade Krunic as United struggled to get out of their own half after some early forays. Isak dropped deeper and deeper in search of possession.

An attack by the visitors just after the half hour ended with Sean Longstaff on the turf and claiming a penalty in vain after a clear but ineffectual shove in the back. Had he had stayed on his feet however, he only had goalkeeper Mike Maignan to beat.

Longstaff's decision looked costly just seconds later when Rafael Leao jinked into the area but attempting a back heel when a straightforward shot seemed certain to break the deadlock. Jacob Murphy's clearance from inside the six yard box as the Milan attack continued was priceless.

Arsenal and Chelsea old boy Olivier Giroud had a few chances to add to his considerable tally against us, but thankfully failed to hit the target while fellow Premier League veteran Ruben Loftus-Cheek should have done better after creating some space but shooting over.

An effort from Murphy that went harmlessly wide at least saw Newcastle register one goal attempt before half time fore heading off the field having profited from their priority of not conceding - an unsurprising stance on an occasion such as this at the home of such illustrious opposition.

The expected changes saw Wilson and Miggy Almiron appear just after the hour and although they didn't truly threaten to get through the Milan lines, the game was at least played slightly further away from Pope - who was appreciably less occupied by then. Dan Burn also had a calmer second period after some terrible touches and misplaced passes in the first half.

Warm applause greeted the withdrawal of Tonali in favour of Elliot Anderson but still that hoped-for break didn't come for the black and whites.

Half-time substitute Alessandro Florenzi crossed for Leao and his header only just cleared the bar as Milan stepped up the pressure in the final 15 minutes - and Newcastle continued stonewalling as best they could, throwing themselves in front of anything and anyone that moved.

Into five minutes of added time and a perfectly-timed tackle on substitute Yunus Musah capped a captain's display by Trippier, clearly enthused at being back in this competition at the age of 33.

Then came the moment that almost propelled this game from an enjoyable return to Europe to an encounter of Feyenoord-like proportions. Into the final seconds, Almiron sped upfield as defenders backed off and found Anderson, who played in Longstaff. 

He managed his side's first and only on-target strike of the game from the edge of the area, but it stayed true in the middle of the goal and was tipped over by sub 'keeper Marco Sportiello. 
 
Any fleeting frustration felt by fans and players as the final whistle sounded before the corner could be taken was rapidly replaced by satisfaction at a job well done and an excellent start to Group F.

A point at the San Siro ultimately failed to prolong our European adventure in 2003, but as we wrote then, we enjoyed leaving a trail of memories and empty beer glasses across Europe. Everyone present will have their own memorable moment from tonight, ours was the mass chorus of "Who's that team they call United" at the finish.

There has to be more to this than one big jolly though; fans can be excused for getting giddy (and bladdered) at the surroundings they find themselves in and the players are entitled to have a tingle when "that music" plays. This was a laudable start but the learning curve will be as steep for the coaches as the squad.

As Alan Pardew discovered a decade ago, progress in Europe is welcome but not at the expense of Premier League form. And while he was tasked with making teams out of the likes of Nile Ranger and Shane Ferguson, the finance available to Howe raises the raises the stakes still further.

It's brilliant to be back though and for every younger attendee getting the chance to sample at first hand what has been handed down to them in war/wor stories, there were familiar faces at every corner: those who kept the faith through the dark times, rewarded for their stoicism. Forza Toon!