"Pride, soul, emotion."
That Manchester City are a better team than Atletico Madrid we knew even before the opening whistle of the first game.
And in terms of football, it's good that City are the ones who qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League and not the outgoing champions of Spain, who are going through a mediocre season and have not won a single home game this season in the Champions League.
But the big story yesterday in the rematch between Atletico and City was not what happened on the pitch - but mostly what happened in the stands.
Forgive me for the fans of Liverpool, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Napoli, but the Atletico Madrid crowd proved yesterday again, for the umpteenth time, that it is the best in Europe.
Anyone who was in Wanda Metropolitano yesterday - and there were quite a few Israelis there - will testify that such an electrifying atmosphere, such a powerful encouragement, can not be found anywhere else in Europe.
It is more similar to what can be experienced at the Boca Juniors Bombonera Stadium in Buenos Aires, or at the Marcana in Rio, in a derby between Flamengo and Fluminense.
Whoever landed at Atletico's stadium yesterday after the final whistle, was convinced that the Colchoneros were the ones who had just qualified for the Champions League semi-finals, and not City.
The 60,000 fans stood on their feet for long minutes, waving their scarves, singing songs of praise to Cello Simeone and his players, who had tears in their eyes.
It was a moment when you realized that football is much more than a game, much more than a sport - it's a way of life.
Certainly for those fans, who are in love with their team - in wins, and no less, in losses.
Before the game kicked off, the huge address in the stands included three words: "Pride, soul, emotion."
There was no talk of victories, no trophies, no titles.
Because Atletico Madrid for its fans is a much bigger thing than all of these.
Puden on the grass.
City players also knew how to waste time, Photo: Getty Images
Arrogance is wasted.
The English media, and not only it, angrily attacked the bunker that Atletico placed in the first game against City.
Pep Guardiola also stung the tactical lineup of 0-5-5 raised by Simeone.
And of course, England have not stopped grumbling about the Spanish champions' waste of time.
Yesterday, when Atletico attacked in a fit of rage in the final minutes, Guardiola's players suddenly lay down on the grass and groaned in "pain".
It took two minutes for Riyadh to take out an outside ball.
Rodry, Citi's great Spanish midfielder, who played for Atletico three years ago, admitted at the end that yes, they were wasting time, and that "it's part of the game."
Rodry is right.
Everyone does it.
It's not pretty, it's not sporty.
But when you want to win (almost) everything is legitimate.
So maybe it's time for England to stop being arrogant and self-righteous.
Like a double final.
Looking ahead to the semi-finals, it is clear that on paper Manchester City are better than Real Madrid.
But this paper should not be taken too seriously.
Because when Real Madrid reaches the Champions League, very strange things happen.
Both against PSG and against Chelsea the "Blancos" looked lost, they were already on their way home.
But the magic of the Champions League does something for Real's players.
They are carried on the wings of history, inspired by the great groups of the past, and each time succeed in transcending themselves and coming out of the grave.
Benzema.
Real rises with winds of the past, Photo: AFP
The semi-final between City and Real will feel like a final.
Basically like two finals.
On March 26 in Manchester and a week later at the Bernabeu.
Once again Pep Guardiola will face Real Madrid, the mythical rival of his time in Barcelona.
And from the other side Krim Benzema will try to continue his dream season, against a team that has not absorbed in its four knockout games this season.
If City win, they will advance to their second consecutive final.
And Pep will get another chance to win the Champions League, 11 years after winning the title for the last time.
On the other hand, if Real win, they will return to Paris, the city where they won the Champions League 22 years ago.
And the city where it also lost, in the 1981 final - against Liverpool, the big favorite to qualify from the second semi-final.
Caution, yellow submarine.
On 18 May 2016, Liverpool and Sevilla met in the Europa League final.
Liverpool was the favorite.
She also led the game.
But the Spanish team responded with three goals and won the cup.
It was a huge win by Sevilla coach Unai Emery over Jürgen Klopp, the German coach of Liverpool.
Onai Emeri.
Knocker of Knockout Games, Photo: Getty Images
Almost six years later they will meet again, this time in the Champions League semi-finals.
Klopp is still at Liverpool.
Emery has meanwhile moved on to coach Villarreal (the same Liverpool knocked out in the Europa League semi-final, en route to a loss to Sevilla in that 2016 final), the big surprise of the season.
Klopp remembers that final well.
He knows that the humble opponent should not be underestimated and certainly not her coach, who specializes in knockout games.
After all, he has won the Europa League four times.
The "yellow submarine" will reach the pair of games against Liverpool without any feelings of inferiority, after ousting Juventus and Bayern Munich in the previous two rounds, and when it has nothing to lose.
All the pressure will be on Liverpool.
Only since 2016 Klopp has upgraded Liverpool dramatically.
Since then she has won the Champions League and the English Championship, and the goal is clear: to get to Paris and lift the trophy with the big ears for the seventh time.
And if anyone can spoil his plans, it's Onai Emery.
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