“It’s the same,” he admitted as he reflected upon another dramatic European night on Tyneside. “I have no mixed feelings about it, but it’s against one of my favourite clubs that I’ve worked for and in a way, I’m sad they’ve gone out.

“But to do it against one of my old clubs is very nice in a way. It’s a big victory. I don’t know where it numbers, but it was a big game for us.”

Robson had chief scout Charlie Woods and his assistant David Mills in Milan to see Marseille secure victory over Inter.

Having already received rave reports from the first leg, Robson knows the challenge facing his side in the semi, the first leg of which will be played at St James’ Park next Thursday with the return a fortnight later.

“We have Marseille to play over two legs and they’ve just knocked out Inter Milan, so we’re not thinking about finals,” Robson said. “We’re one complete round, two games, away from it.

“It will be the same as this tie, one goal difference, probably, between the two teams. They’ve knocked out a fine side in Inter Milan, won home and away, and you can’t beat that.”