As season openers go, Milan have had easier than an away trip to PSVEindhoven's Philips Stadion in a crucial Champions League qualifier. 
The Dutch side came into the encounter with five competitive games under their belts—all of which they won. Any preseason doubts about how they'd fair without top-scorer Dries Mertens, now of Napoli, and with Phillip Cocu on the bench were quickly dispelled.


But then, scoring 16 goals and conceding only three in the space of a handful of games will do that. 
Milan had history with PSV and the Philips Stadion, too.
In 2005, the Rossoneri lost there, but they progressed thanks to a win at home, and in 2006 they were bested by the Dutch side in the group phase of the competition.
Milan fans have cause to feel their side got the short straw in the draw as well.
Of all the games in the play-off round for this year's UCL, this is the only tie to feature two former European champions. The 1988 champions, PSV also have a great home record against Italian sides in European competition, W7 D1 L3. 
The Eredivisie runners-up haven't featured in the Champions League group stages since 2009, but they have pedigree, including 12 appearances between 1997 and 2008.
In that context, coming away with a 1-1 draw might be seen as a positive. 
Stephan El Shaarawy's early header means that Milan have the away-goal advantage, even though they'll be disappointed to have drawn the game thanks to Tim Matavž's exploitation of a Christian Abbiati error.
PSV were the more impressive side on the night against Milan, even with El Shaarawy's goal. The home side had twice as many shots on target, and were missing star-man Zakaria Bakkali, a 17-year-old who's scored four goals already this season. Assuming he's fit, they'll be a better side in Milan and more dangerous for having learned from their mistakes in the first leg.