As a disbelieving Felipe finally accepted his punishment and headed towards the tunnel, the Kop sang a farewell.
Adios, adios, adios.
How fitting on a night when Diego Simeone’s side said adios to the plot, their marbles and any wafer-thin hopes of winning a Champions League group that was supposed to provide a mountainous challenge for all concerned.
Liverpool, a knockout place nailed down after four games, have made a hard climb seem like a cakewalk.
That is how good this team and this manager are.
Because for all of Atletico’s self-imposed misery, there was a reason they imploded in a brief flurry of first half cards.
Liverpool were simply too good for them. Way too good.
The front three was too good for them, a Jordan Henderson-inspired midfield was too good for them, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s vision and movement was too good for them.
The crowd was too good for them.
The wonderful thing about Anfield on a European night is that you would be hard-pressed to differentiate between a make-or-break semi-final tie and a bog-standard group-stage game, taking place with Liverpool already in a position of some comfort.
Each European match is the biggest since the last one.
These occasions are the only times the club could actually claim, with some justification, that this means more.
No matter how experienced, no matter how streetwise, no matter how practised in the dark arts, teams can be intimidated, can be blown away.
And the stadium intensity seeps into the playing staff.
From an early, muscular Joel Matip intervention, they were stronger.
From Mohamed Salah’s first incision, they were sharper.
From the moment Sadio Mane out-sprinted two defenders, they were quicker.
Atletico certainly did not have a full-back of Alexander-Arnold’s quality.
His first assist, for Diogo Jota to convert, was a trademark beauty while his second, turned home by a super-alert Mane, was actually a cross-shot.
But the fact Alexander-Arnold was up there, fancying his attacking chances, told you all you needed to know about one half of this Liverpool performance.
And Atletico could not cope with that half of play. Actually, they tried to cope in a manner they know well - with intimidation, play-acting and cynical foul play.
Referee Danny Makkelie was having none of it. You could call it Dutch courage or you could call it over-exuberance.
And in the cold light of day, it is hard to justify the straight red for Felipe - ten minutes before the break and with the Spaniards two down - even if he did ignore the referee’s repeated attempts to call him back after a cynical trip on Mane midway inside the Liverpool half.
But you reap what you sow. And Atletico sow a snideness that might just make the odd official lose his or her patience.
It certainly did not go down well with the former police inspector from Rotterdam.
Oddly, his draconian treatment of Simeone’s men might just have taken the edge off the home side.
Fearing a red card for the cautioned Mane, Jurgen Klopp sent on Roberto Firmino for the second half and an edge was dulled.
Chances were missed, both teams suffered VAR goal reverses and matters meandered to a walking-pace close.
But by then, Liverpool had done their damage.
By then, they had already said an Anfield adios to yet another European giant.
