Pablo Barrios was sent off midway through the first-half, as Julian Alvarez's double earned Atletico the win. Bayer's goalscorer Piero Hincapie was also sent off in the second-half.
Simeone, afterwards, was delighted with the character his players showed on Tuesday night.
The match:
"There was one team that was playing and another that was not able to get into the game. It's no coincidence that what happened in the second half happened. We played intelligently, we didn't get away from the game, the game came, and they were sent off. A team that plays very well didn't create any scoring opportunities. We were able to convert the ones we had."
Impeccable second half:
"We wanted to be strong on the left side. I'm very happy for Reinildo. He hadn't played for a long time, he did it against Elche, but he had been playing for a long time. Today he put on the shirt, came on, played and showed the strength he has in duels."
Great game from Julián:
"When we thought about Julián we were excited about this. He has an impressive hierarchy. Over the years he will have a special place in the club."
On Barrios' dismissal:
"I didn't see him in the locker room."
Objective: the final?
"All the teams that play in this competition want to reach the final."
Explanation for the second half:
"In the first half the team didn't play well, in the first half we had no transitions. They took the ball away from us, they didn't have many scoring chances, but they dominated the game so much that we couldn't do what we wanted. The goal came, the sending off... we identified the game we wanted to play, to take advantage of what we could get. Having offensive duels, the option of getting to a draw... the draw came. With 10 against 11 we controlled their extraordinary offensive game.
"They had played 11 games in a row. They play great, but what had already appeared in other games appeared. We saw humility, work, hierarchy, forcefulness, knowing how to suffer, interpreting the games. We were forceful in scoring. With 10 against 10 the game could be perceived that we could win it. We won a game in which the boys will say... 'do you remember that game that we were losing'."
Eight comebacks with goals in the final minutes:
"Hopefully we won't always have to go through these paths. The team in the second half was commendable, beautiful to watch. Interpreting how the game had to be played. It went much further than just coming back in the game. There's more. A team with courage, with playing the moments, that speaks highly of the team."
How he explains to people what happened:
"The first half wasn't good. We were down to one man, which we could have avoided. We managed it well at half-time. I'm the lucky one because I have receivers who accept the message very well. Today Llorente played in the middle, after not having played for a long time.
"I didn't get carried away, I want to play in the final. I didn't say anything extraordinary or new, I want to play in the final like all the players who compete in the tournament."