Ah, Diego Simeone never changes.

You can despise his way of playing football as much as you like, but it is incredibly effective and proven on the largest of stages.

It is predictable, yet so difficult to play against and remain level-headed as the opposition.

A player receives a slight knock? Simeone's players go down for at least 30 seconds. They score a goal? His squad all go to the sidelines for a drinks break. They're not happy with a decision? His players surround the referee which almost forces him to award the decision in their favour on the next 50/50. He subs off his captain? The skipper treks all the way from the halfway line to the goalkeeper to hand him the captain's armband. 

He has been questioned about it before, but he does not share one single care. He plays football this way, and he will not change.

When asked about his style of play against Manchester United in their 2-1 aggregate victory, he said his team ‘suffered’ to progress.

"We had to suffer in the way you need to suffer in a match at Manchester, but we're once again among the best eight in Europe."

It was a vintage Atletico performance and Simeone expressed his joy despite having objects thrown at his face as he sprinted down the tunnel at full-time.

"No, I didn't notice,” he said. “At the end of such a victory, I just like to be in the dressing room, and be happy."

It is also the first time in his career that Simeone has knocked out a side in the Champions League that involved Cristiano Ronaldo.

They dealt with him excellently, especially considering the Portuguese forward was coming off the back of a hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.

While that may not be enough to brag about for Simeone, as Ronaldo did win the Champions League against Atletico twice in finals, he can take some pride in finally getting one over him.

Atletico may be underperforming as the current LaLiga champions but in this European competition, it would be foolish to write them off. No matter who they draw in the quarter-finals.