Gary O'Neill admitted it felt like a Zlatan-inspired AC Milan were playing a "different sport" at times as they put Shamrock Rovers to the sword in Tallaght.
But O'Neill was right when he said the Premier Division title favourites gave a good account with themselves, with the second goal in the Italians' 2-0 Europa League victory arriving 20 minutes from time.
The Hoops midfielder pinpointed Zlatan Ibrahimovic as making a real difference on the night, though as he revealed at least striker Aaron Greene was able to present the Swede's jersey to his son afterwards.
"I think Aaron Greene was marking him from corners," said O'Neill. "And at one he said, 'Listen, my young lad is the ball boy behind the goal, it would mean a lot to him to get the jersey'.
"It was lovely."
He's closing in on 40, but Zlatan still looked imperious at times.
“Yeah he does," smiled O'Neill. "I think he was playing half-hearted, it was a stroll in the park for him there tonight.
"The back three were just saying about his strength, his size, his movement, his hold-up play, everything, it’s just two or three steps above what we’re used to.
"Apparently he was a very nice fella as well!
"Look, he's been at the top of his game since he was 18-19, he's 38 and still going that strong, he's just a step above.
"And he wasn't blowing, I thought the 10 (Castellijo) was unbelievable and the 4 (Ismael) was different class. These players are elite athletes and it was great to pit our wits against them."
Rovers attempted to play their passing game and at times succeeded, with Greene managing to test the visiting keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma on three occasions.
But two superbly taken goals separated the sides.
"The second one killed us, it deflated us," O'Neill admitted. "If we’d managed to stay in it for the last 15 minutes at 1-0 you never know, we could have a right go at it.
"It was always going to be an uphill battle.
"They’re a top side, we were just saying in the dressing-room there that you can really see the levels of football.
"They are elite athletes. We were hoping to cause an upset, but the maint hing was to give a good account of ourselves and I think we did that.
"I think there was a bit of champagne football towards the end, in the last 20 minutes, all the top players strolling around the place!
"You could really see it, especially in the final third when they stepped it up a bit and upped their levels.
"It’s like a different sport at times, the way they bounced the ball around. They’re a top, top side and really good to play against."
The former UCD man confessed there will be regrets for Stephen Bradley's side.
"No-one fancied us to win tonight, you saw the odds from the bookies and there was no-one really tipping us," he reflected.
"But we'd like to consider ourselves at the top of the Irish game at the moment and this is the first game we've lost since Dundalk won the league last year in Oriel, so losing isn't something we're used to.
"It was always going to be a risk but listen again, giving a good account of ourselves was one of the main things, and I think we did that."
Nevertheless the league title is theirs for the taking if Rovers can maintain their domestic form, and are in the last eight of the FAI Cup.
"Exactly, we're back to business," he remarked.
"Look, we're back in training tomorrow morning, we're back in business. We're eight points clear with seven games to go, we're unbeaten and we want to keep that going.
"And obviously we've the Cup quarter-final to look forward to towards the end of the season, so we'll look at the draw tomorrow night but all our focus will be towards Waterford on Monday."
All in all, it was a night of learning for Bradley's men.
"You definitely do, you just learn the levels," O'Neill stressed. "I thought they were exceptional at times, the way they moved the ball in the first half in particular when they really needed to, especially in the final third.
"You can do all the homework you want on them and we had all the bases covered, but when you see them there's very little you can do about two goals, really.
"Obviously for the first one, Zlatan's first touch and his second touch and it's a goal in a flash, and the second goal, the no 10 has bent it around three people into the top corner, you can't do much about that.
"And I think you learn things, you learn movements. The no 4 for them tonight plays in a similar position to myself and just watching him tonight, sometimes I was in awe at how good he was.
"So you definitely learn from them, yeah".
