The line between bravery and stupidity, genius and insanity, is razor-thin. In their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal game against RB Leipzig, Diego Simeone and Atletico Madrid began the match on one side and ended it on the other, as their game plan, which worked so well against Premier League champions Liverpool and led to an unbeaten streak of 18, proved to be an unmitigated disaster.

In an alternate universe, one in which the La Liga team won, the first half is a stroke of genius. From the opening whistle, Atletico sat back and let Leipzig run wild and expend energy. Knowing that Simeone never comes into any game, let alone one this important, without a plan in mind, it felt intentional – akin to Rocky Balboa making Clubber Lang tire himself out before delivering the knockout punch in Rocky III.

However, as the clock ticked on and Atletico's only attack came from the left wing of Yannick Carrasco and Renan Lodi, and also only in the form of playing the ball down the sideline and then crossing it into a wholly defended box (as well as some fantastically childish five-steps-too-many throw-ins) it started to look as if mastermind Simeone was actually an emperor in new clothes.

Atletico's right wing had been limited as right back Sime Vrsaljko and right winger Angel Correa both tested positive for the coronavirus and were ruled out of the match, but replacements Kieran Trippier and Koke barely got any play whatsoever.

By the end of the half, Leipzig had grown into the game impressively. They hadn't scored, nor had they tested Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak too much, but they were imposing their style of play onto a team that was set up to mitigate that. In the final 15 minutes or so, the front seven of Julian Nagelsmann's 3-3-3-1 formation were getting the ball and sprinting up large chunks of the pitch, seemingly escorted by the rigid midfield and backline of Atletico.

Saul, Hector Herrera, Jose Gimenez, and Stefan Savic made a perfect square around players like Dani Olmo and Christopher Nkunu in what was likely supposed to be a zonal defense; instead, it gave them plenty of time and space to look for a goal.

It also must have given them plenty of confidence in the second half, especially when Atletico started again completely unchanged. Five minutes in, right winger Marcel Sabitzer got the ball and found plenty of space to cross it into Olmo, who did what he was practicing in the first half and scored with a clean header.

Atletico were unmoved. If anything, they sunk a little deeper and got a little rattier. As seen in plenty of their games, they like to frustrate until the dying moments, then snap before a response can be leveled. Unfortunately for them, that only works when your opponents are actually frustrated, and RB Leipzig couldn't have cared less – especially now they were 1-0 up.

On the hour, Atletico's Herrera was swapped out for Joao Felix. His fresh legs were much needed, and he threatened Leipzig's goal than the actual front two of the 4-4-2 formation, Diego Costa and Marcos Llorente.

Ten minutes after coming on, he was clumsily tackled in the box by Lukas Klostermann and scored the ensuing penalty tiring the game at 1-1. This snapped Atletico to life, and they pounded Leipzig's defenders. Llorente and Trippier even started to play. Perhaps the boxing metaphor was coming true, and after 75 minutes of left jabs, now Atletico were delivering stinging right hooks.

Rather than bolster their backline, Leipzig traded out Olmo and Nkunu for Patrick Schick and Amadou Haidara, prepared for a final attack. In the 88th minute, Sabitzer - now very clearly Leipzig's top playmaker in the absence of Timo Werner – got the ball, mimed he was going one way then let it go for Angelino who crossed it to Tyler Adams. Adams had all the time and space in the world and made it 2-1 with only two minutes remaining.

Atletico should be ashamed of their performance. The blueprint of sitting back and waiting, waiting, waiting, beat the best club in March, and they assumed that would be enough to beat anybody; Leipzig knew what was coming and turned the tables. Their final goal was scored in pure Nagelsmann-style, but at the exact moment, a Simone-style finish gets delivered. Leipzig now go on to face Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals next week and have shown that they are fearless enough to make a real game of it.