HUNDREDS of Milan fans descended on Bournemouth and the wet weather did not dampen their spirits as they marched to Dean Court ahead of their Europa League clash with the Cherries.
There was plenty of discussion in the build-up of the historical links between the clubs, after Bournemouth changed their kit in the 1970s to red and black stripes, inspired by the famous Italian club.
More than 50 years on, the sides met in a first competitive fixture at the Vitality Stadium, with the hosts aiming to extend their winning start in European competition and Milan looking to back up a victory over RB Salzburg following an opening defeat to Benfica.
The Milan fans gathered at The George Tapps pub through the afternoon, before marching to Bournemouth station, taking the train to Pokesdown and marching to the ground.
Milan fan Simon came over with his son Jacques from Slovenia for the game.
He said Bournemouth was a 'very nice city'.
"Sun, sea and the aquarium, we've been to the aquarium," he said.
"It's a perfect city, a clean, very clean city."
For Cherries fans, it was a slightly surreal moment that showed just how far the club had come in the past couple of decades, from scraping survival in the Football League back in the 2008-09 season to rising all the way to the Premier League and now Europe.
While the club had already played two games in the Europa League, this was perhaps the biggest fixture of the league phase as they met one of the continent's biggest and most historic sides.
Cherries fan Logan Lawson admitted he was 'in disbelief' that his club was playing AC Milan in a competitive fixture.
"When the draw was made, you see AC Milan, you're like, oh, that's going to be mental, but as a fan, you don't really know what it's going to feel like until you get here," he said.
"I got off the train at Pokesdown about an hour ago, and seeing all the police ready for the fan march and just getting here today and seeing Milan fans already here.
"I mean, it's absolutely surreal."
He reflected on his time supporting Bournemouth.
"My first game was against Notts County on Tuesday night, League One or Two," Logan said.
"They had Kasper Schmeichel in goal, I believe, and it was raining.
"There was about 3,000 fans there, and never once did I think like at that point, games with Championship was the pinnacle.
"We got there, and every time we seemed to just go that step further, and we're at this step right now.
"I never thought we'd get here, but we're favourites to beat AC Milan.
"How crazy is that?"
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