In the first half at the Metropolitano stadium, when Tottenham Hotspur collapsed and Atletico Madrid took full advantage of every opportunity, the atmosphere in the stands was almost a mixture of excitement and surprise.
Even the most optimistic Atletico fans can hardly imagine that their team would lead 1-0 after only 6 minutes, then quickly increase the score to 2-0 after 14 minutes, 3-0 after 15 minutes and 4-0 in the 22nd minute.
Atletico has had many impressive home wins this season. They once defeated Real Madrid 5-2 in the derby in September last year and crushed Barcelona 4-0 in the Copa del Rey.
However, this is the Champions League - round of 16 - and the opponent is a Premier League representative who was fourth in the group stage. Therefore, the explosive start of Diego Simeone's team surprised everyone even more.
Atletico made the most of Tottenham's mistakes to soon decide the match. The 5-2 overall victory was almost laid in the first half.
The audience's reaction at Metropolitano was also very special. When Tottenham goalkeeper Antonín Kinsky was substituted by coach Igor Tudor after only 17 minutes - after two serious mistakes leading to the goal conceded - the home fans did not boo or mock. Instead, many applause and cheers rang out, as a show of sympathy for the young goalkeeper who was having a terrible evening. In contrast, Tudor stood silently on the sidelines when Kinsky bowed his head and left the field.
For Tottenham, this defeat may not be the bottom of a turbulent season. The North London team is still struggling in the relegation race in the Premier League - which Tudor admitted before the match was the most important goal. Compared to that, the Champions League is described by him as a side story.
Metropolitano Stadium also evoked a sad memory for Spurs, where they lost 0-2 to Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final. But this defeat brought another pain: the collapse right in the first half, when the whole of Europe watched and wondered what was happening to the team from London.
Conversely, home ground is becoming Atletico's fortress this season. In 21 home matches in La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey, Diego Simeone's team has won 18, drawn 1 and only lost 2.
The sixth minute of the match opened up a nightmare for Tottenham. Kinsky slipped when trying to pass the ball from the lower line, creating an opportunity for Ademola Lookman. The ball quickly passed through Julian Alvarez before Marcos Llorente coldly finished to open the score.
Kinsky's second mistake was even more harmful. When trying to handle a pass back, he shot the ball straight into Alvarez's position, helping the Argentine striker easily score. That was also the goalkeeper's last situation before being substituted.
Despite winning 5-2, Simeone still showed dissatisfaction when Atletico conceded 2 goals. This is clearly shown through his angry reaction after Pedro Porro's goal shortened the score to 1-4 in the 26th minute.
Atletico almost paid the price for their subjectivity when playing away recently. In the Copa del Rey semi-finals, they beat Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg but then lost 0-3 in the second leg and almost reversed the situation.
We have to improve that. The 2 goals conceded today are regrettable" - Antoine Griezmann said after the match.
However, the possibility of Tottenham creating a comeback in the second leg is still very slim. When the final whistle sounded at Metropolitano, the stands for the away team's fans were almost empty.
Those who stayed only quietly applauded when the Spurs players approached to thank them - as if they themselves no longer believed in any miracle.
