As 22 players got ready to play a game of football, millions seemed to lose the run of themselves. Even people you normally wouldn't expect to.
"The Red Army expects - Can Man U deliver?" asked ITN's Trevor McDonald smugly as pictures of hordes of pink United fans cavorting in the Spanish sun were beamed in.
RTE's Gareth O'Connor had the somewhat greyer background of Galway but despite the gloom, the night ahead was described as a "night of destiny."
The cold shiver of smugness had millions of available spines to run up. Even Alex Ferguson seemed to quiver, but then maybe he knew something we didn't.
"I'm quite relaxed about it. . . I trust them because they are good enough. . . You always look for demons and problems, but I believe they are good enough," declared the Govan Guvnor. Ultimately he was right, but good God was it nerve-wrecking.
To be fair, RTE's A-Team appeared spot on for so long. "Alex Ferguson is the most optimistic manager I've ever seen," said the incomparable John Giles and you weren't sure if the gravelly voiced one meant it as a compliment.
With Roy Keane and Paul Scholes ruled out, Ferguson had to juggle the mid-field. In the studio they weren't sure if the balls had landed correctly.
"David Beckham is the best crosser of a ball in Europe but in central mid-field he isn't half the player. Putting Giggs on the right means he will be coming infield all the time and Blomqvist is a pretty tepid player. It weakens the side but I can understand why he has done it," said Eamon Dunphy doubtfully.
"I've always thought Man Utd. will be up against it without Roy Keane," said Liam Brady sagely while Gilesy finally forecast: "I had been very undecided but Beckham in mid-field leans me to Bayern." As punditry goes, it was impressively analytical and calculating. Last night, however, was not about analysis and calculation. Surreal drama never is.
In truth United were poor for most of the game, but those who thought the soul had been ripped out of the side by Keane's absence were answered in the kind of style that only Manchester United seem able to provoke.
Style is nothing without substance though and those who were crowing loudest before Basler's fifth-minute goal seemed to run for the excuses quickest.
"Manchester United have been trying to cram everything into 10 dizzy days. This is a handicap race they are trying to win and now they have given themselves one more handicap," said ITV's Clive Tyldsley dolefully. Unlike the opposition, at half time the RTE team had recognised that United were still in it. Still, nothing could have prepared us for those cataclysmic final minutes. Bayern had it wrapped up, Lothar Mattheus was looking smug on the bench but smugness was the enemy last night.
A puce-faced Ferguson released Sheringham and Solksjaer, the team twisted every intestine to breaking point and then total and complete joy was released. "I told you it wasn't over," exulted Ron Atkinson.
"Football, bloody hell," beamed Fergie. "They just wouldn't give up and they kept on trying to play football which was important."
Eamon looked at that and agreed. "They've proved themselves a great side with great spirit," he said. From the television point of view, it was impressive to hear Liam Brady stand by his view that United had "stolen it. I don't think they deserved it. Bayern played very well in the second half and United were very, very lucky."
Fair play to Liam but for most the reply will be: "Who cares?" Man U have delivered.
