"Gol Magico", trumpeted the Spanish sports daily Sport on its front page, describing Ronaldinho's late winner on Tuesday with a phrase that needs no translation.

Its Barcelona-based rival El Mundo Deportivo also warmed to the theme with a cartoon portraying Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard as a cabaret magician, with the Italian visitors depicted as a big bad bear being turned into a rabbit.

The newspaper also used the word 'magic' in its headlines on two of its first four pages.

"A stunning and decisive goal from Ronaldinho in a wonderful game," added El Mundo Deportivo, in one of its few headlines devoid of references to wizardry.

Nevertheless, the superlatives and hyperbole that regularly pepper Spanish newspapers were for once deserved.

The two former Champions League winners combined to produce a game that will rarely be bettered this season.

"The new Dream Team. Maybe I'm exagerating but yesterday I saw a sublime Barcelona," commented Elias Israel, editor of the Spanish sports daily Marca, the biggest selling newspaper in the country.

"Ronaldinho is a genius, almost raising himself to the status of a myth," eulogised fellow sports daily As.

Coming from the pens of the Madrid-based media, with Marca and As often pandering to the interests of bitter rivals Real Madrid and begrudging in their plaudits for Barcelona, this was high praise indeed.

Marca were among many others to draw comparisons with the Barcelona coached by another Dutchman, Johann Cruyff, which won the 1992 Champions League, the club's only triumph to date in the top continental club competition.

Rijkaard was at pains to play down expectations of him emulating his compatriot.

"We had a great game and we deserved to win. Ronaldinho's goal was a dream, but I am only thinking of the next round and it is premature to talk of becoming the champions," added Rijkaard.

However, Cruyff believes the comparisions are justified.

"Barcelona can do it with this team, and with Ronaldinho in this sort of form, and I would love to watch Barca against Milan all over again in the final," added the Dutch legend.

Barcelona fans have been long-accustomed to having their high expectations dashed but, even if they do not make it to the Cham-pions League final in Istanbul on May 25, they will still be able to bask in the glow of defeating Milan.

"This is one of the happiest nights of my life," said Barca president Joan Laporta, and many of the 90,465 spectators who saw Tues-day's game would agree with him.