Leicester's Champions League adventure is over after a 2-1 aggregate defeat in their quarter-final tie against Atletico Madrid, an opponent who showed all their knockout know-how to progress, writes Pete Hall.
It has been quite the continental journey for Leicester this season. The Foxes faithful have visited some of Europe's finest cities on their maiden Champions League voyage, but they have not been there to simply make up the numbers and enjoy their moment in the sun - they have more than looked at home at Europe's top table.
However, bar a roof-raising 15 second-half minutes at the King Power on Tuesday night, a supremely well organised Atletico proved to be just a step too far in the last eight tie.
This is the third time Atletico have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in four seasons, and drawing on such experience was the difference in the East Midlands.
The first half was a Diego Simeone stifling masterclass. Starting with Jose Gimenez as an extra midfield anchor, the Uruguay international and skipper Gabi suffocated the Foxes with ease - Kasper Schmeichel had more touches than Leicester strikers Shinji Okazaki and Jamie Vardy in the first half as no player won more duels than Gimenez.
Indeed, it took Leicester over 120 minutes of the tie to have a shot on target as Simeone's men passed the ball around at will, without losing their impenetrable-looking shape.
When you have players of the quality of Antoine Griezmann and one-time Manchester United target Saul Niguez then you will always pose a threat on the break, and in a competition when away goals are ever so crucial, one well executed header from the latter made all the difference.
Many Leicester fans had returned from the Spanish capital after last week's first leg full of optimism that just one goal separated the sides, but such a feeling in knockout competition is ill-founded - 67.7 per cent of teams having won their Champions League first-leg 1-0 at home have progressed to the next round; the away goal is king.
That super Saul header left Leicester with a mightily daunting task of scoring three times in 45 minutes against a team that had kept a clean sheet in 60 per cent of the Champions League games played under Simeone's tutelage.
Leicester were the lowest scorers left in the competition prior to kick-off, but two changes from Craig Shakespeare at half-time ensured they produced a rousing display after the break that got pulses racing around the King Power nonetheless.
The Foxes rained in 18 shots on Jan Oblak's goal in the second half as Atleti put their bodies on the line to keep the hosts at bay.
Substitute Ben Chilwell made a huge difference after the break, even if the end product was lacking. No player had more efforts at goal than the 20-year-old in the entire match, but disappointingly none of his four attempts found the target. Only Marc Albrighton managed more crosses than the youngster, too, which says a great deal about the lack of first-half threat.
Vardy's goal on the hour mark was brilliantly taken by the England international, and at that point, Atleti looked on the ropes as some of those aforementioned blocks bailed them out as they looked ragged for the first time in the tie.
But, as Simeone's side have shown against the highest calibre of attacking opposition before, they kept their composure, remained rigid and saw the game out with relative ease.
Even as the noise level rose and Simeone gesticulated in his usual extravagant manner, the Atleti players remained calm and the result never really looked in doubt. For all Leicester's valiant efforts, Oblak was not forced into action often enough in the tie to warrant an unprecedented spot in the last four.
"I don't think Atletico will have many tougher games than they had in that second half," Sky Sports' Tony Cottee said after the match. "Leicester have got to take great confidence from what they've achieved and take great confidence from the fact they've given one of Europe's best teams a real good go."
A real good go is what Atletico got, and Cottee is right to eulogise over Leicester's efforts, as in reality, it just came down to an understanding of how to concoct a gameplan to ensure the best possible chance of securing another last four Champions League spot. The Foxes adventure won't be forgotten in a hurry, regardless.