In what was going to be a tough affair, both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid had it all to do in the second leg of their Champions League quarter final clash.

The game was heading for a stalemate like in the first leg at the Vicente Calderon until Cristiano Ronaldo teed up Manchester United loanee Javier Hernandez who tapped the ball home from close range.
It was a relief for los Merengues, as they advance to the semi finals.
The defeat will surely have hit Atleti hard, but take nothing away from the Rojiblancos, they were outstanding.


Atletico’s season might not have been as smooth as last term, when they won the Liga BBVA crown for the first time in 18 years. They also reached the Champions League final for the first time in 40 years, only to lose to their cross-town rivals when they should have wrapped the match up with a few seconds to spare.
In spite of the shortcomings, Atletico Madrid have shown character once again this season.
Prior to the Champions League clash, Real’s last victory over Atletico was the ‘Decima’ triumph in Lisbon last May.
Atleti had remained unbeaten in seven previous encounters with Real this season claiming four wins and three draws, the highlight being the 4-0 thrashing at the Vicente Calderon on February 7.
The success of Atletico Madrid can be attributed to none other than Diego Simeone.

The ex-Atletico player came in to manage the club in December 2011 and since then has completed a remarkable turnaround.
Atletico were in 10th place upon Simeone’s arrival and they looked in danger of going down the drain further. That season, they finished in fifth.
Atletico took home the Europa League to cap off a revived season.
The 4-1 win over Chelsea in the 2012 UEFA Super Cup will surely always remain a highlight of the Argentine’s managerial career
The Rojiblancos bagged the 2013 Copa Del Rey against Real Madrid and the 2014 Liga BBVA title for the first time since 1996, when Simeone was still playing for the team. It was also the first time a team other than Barcelona or Real Madrid had won the La Liga since Valencia in 2004.
Simeone has installed discipline into the Atletico Madrid side. The Argentine tactician was a defensive midfielder in his playing days and as a DM, you have to be disciplined, so it’s not hard to see him extend such a talent into his managerial career.
Atletico Madrid are focused and determined. These are key factors to the results they get against the big opposition.
There is also motivation.
It’s no doubt that Simeone is a master motivator. You can see it from the way he shouts and screams from the touchline. Focus and determination has made Atletico Madrid excel well beyond expectations.

Atleti do not match up with Real Madrid and Barcelona in terms of player quality and finance. The wealth of Real Madrid is about twice that of Atletico. Unstable finances have made the team sell most of its key players over the years to generate some revenue, the most recent being Diego Costa and Filipe Luis.
Despite the shaky finances, Atletico have stood tall and strong under Simeone.
The acquisitions of Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic have brought more potency in attack with the duo scoring an impressive total of 45 goals in 89 appearances this season.
Atleti’s effectiveness at set pieces and aerial challenges makes it a big deal for any team to contend with.
2015 might be the first time that Simeone goes without a trophy for the Rojiblancos, but a series of strong results—especially against Real Madrid—shows Atleti are now a formidable force to be reckoned with.
No longer are they a team to beat with ease. You need tactical nous and good fortune to beat them.
The 2013 Copa Del Rey triumph was Atleti’s first win over Real since 1999. Barcelona simply did not have an answer to Atleti in 2014 as they went winless in six encounters and Lionel Messi failed to find the net against the team vs. which he had scored most goals.
Simeone’s presence has made the traditional two-horse race for the title become a three-horse race. Even though Atleti might be out of contention for defending their Liga crown this season, the atmosphere created by Simeone will ensure that Barcelona and Real Madrid will be wary of the reigning champions for some years to come!

Read it on: http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4082/editorial/2015/05/01/11297562/diego-simeone-still-the-man-despite-atletico-madrids-shaky