Diego Simeone does it again in Champions League: 'You have to make life difficult'

Defensive or inspirational? Diego Simeone is a divisive figure in European football

Love him or loathe him - you just cannot ignore Diego Simeone in the Champions League.

The Atletico Madrid manager wound up Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp with his antics in the first leg and was at it again at Anfield, sprinting down the touchline to celebrate Alvaro Morata's goal in front of the away fans at the end of extra time as the La Liga side knocked out the holders.

Liverpool may have been restricted in the first leg in Madrid - not registering a shot on target - but this was a different story.

The Reds battered away at Simeone's selfless, organised team throughout, forcing goalkeeper Jan Oblak into nine saves and raining down 34 efforts in total.

But Simeone - who took Atletico to Champions League finals in 2014 and 2016 - still found a way to win against the odds, scoring three times in 23 extra-time minutes to stun Klopp and co.

"We never changed our plan, the players followed the guidelines perfectly," Simeone said.

"It's a game that will become legendary for the fans. We're back in the best eight sides in Europe and have beaten an extraordinary opponent."

'Barcelona have Messi, we have Oblak'

Only v Bayern Munich in May 2016 (nine) has Jan Oblak made more saves in a Champions League game than against Liverpool (eight)

Simeone has been in charge of Atletico since 2011 and, remarkably, has only lost a tie in the knockout stages of the Champions League since at the hands of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Rivals Real Madrid have beaten them on four occasions - including both finals - while Juventus were the victors last season, with Ronaldo scoring a second-leg hat-trick.

The last English team to knock them out of a European tie was League One side Bolton - under Gary Megson in 2008.

Atletico lost talisman Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona last summer but have cemented a new hero at the other end of the pitch in the guise of Oblak.

"Oblak is incredibly important, we have the best goalkeeper in the world," Simeone said.

"Barcelona have Lionel Messi, who is their difference maker. Oblak's the best and he makes the difference for us."

'You have to make life difficult for the opponent'

Klopp was again left bemused by Simeone after this defeat, suggesting Atletico do not play "proper football".

But Simeone was full of credit for his opposite number - calling Liverpool "the best opponent we have faced" and suggesting that his side always play to win.

"In football you need to look to make life difficult for the opponent," added the former Argentina midfielder.

"We play to win, with the weapons that we have. We respect our identity, the characteristics of our players and we exploit the defects of our rivals."

On BT Sport, pundit Michael Owen criticised Atletico's approach, saying "there is nothing ingenious about just setting up your team to defend", but Kieran Trippier, the Spanish side's former Tottenham right-back, said players love playing for Simeone.

"You can't come with the plan to defend for 90 minutes - even though that's what we ended up doing because Liverpool put us under so much pressure," said the England international.

"The way we play is the way we train. [Diego Simeone] is like this on the touchline in training. It's a joy to learn from him every day and work with him."