The outcome was familiar, but how Atletico Madrid got there was not. Diego Simeone was screaming at the bouncing stands of the Wanda Metropolitano and his players were embracing each other on the pitch.
Atleti scored twice in injury time on Saturday to best Valencia 3-2 in a game in which they had trailed 2-0. You don't need to see the images to imagine the emotion on show.
But while the celebrations might have been intense, they lacked a grander meaning. Simeone's team have already surrendered their title, sitting 14 points behind Real Madrid. At the moment they are in a scrap just to finish in the top four.
It is the goals they are conceding that are most un-Atleti like as well. A team that has built a fearsome reputation on their back four is falling apart defensively. Saturday was the fourth successive game in which they've conceded at least twice and there have been just two clean sheets in their last 13 games, one of which was against third-tier Rayo Majadahonda in the Copa del Rey.
In fact, Atletico were incredibly fortunate to get through their Champions League group with just seven points. On all available evidence this season they are on the weaker sides left in the competition, but the prospect of playing them over two legs will still be giving some at Manchester United a sleepless night or two.
We are now less than four weeks away from United's trip to Madrid for the first leg and it does feel as if the early skirmishes under Ralf Rangnick have been building to this.
United's interim manager couldn't have had a kinder fixture list to start his reign and his team are beginning to build some momentum after some unconvincing early performances.
But as valuable as wins against West Ham and Brentford are, when United walk out at the Wanda Metropolitano they will be taking on a challenge unlike anything they'd have experienced so far under Rangnick. Ever since he was appointed at the end of November all roads have been leading to Madrid on Wednesday, February 23.
By then Rangnick will have had 15 games in charge but the hardest fixture will have been against West Ham. The toughest away games in that run are maybe Aston Villa and the trip to Leeds, just three days before the date in Madrid.
That clash at Elland Road might be helpful for some late fine-tuning because United will know they need to bring the intensity against Simeone's side.
United have wrenched their way back into the top four recently and fixtures against Burnley, Southampton, Brighton, Leeds and Watford before the end of February should allow them to take control of that race.
The Champions League could still offer United a shot at glory, however. They looked a long way short of contenders before Christmas and are still outsiders, but aside from their Premier League rivals and Bayern Munich the rest of the competition is weak. If United can get past Atletico and get a kind draw it could yet open up for them.
To achieve that, however, they need to be peaking under Rangnick by February 23. The previous week has bought a more settled system in a 4-3-3 and signs of the kind of direct attacking the 63-year-old wants to see.
In a lacklustre draw with Newcastle just after Christmas the German complained about United's physicality. They can't afford to be bullied or outworked by Atletico. If they can match them in those departments then they will consider themselves favourites to progress against a team having a difficult season as well.
That gives Rangnick and his players just under four weeks to finish the first stage of his project as interim manager. By the time they land in Madrid they need to be firing on all cylinders.
