Forget the result. What happened between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain in that modern-day Battle of Stamford Bridge was an affront to football. This festival of fouls and demonstration of the dark arts symbolised a culture of deceit which, if not checked, poses a serious threat to the game's future.
After a feisty first leg in Paris with seemingly a thousand free kicks, the second game was a powder keg waiting to explode. Chelsea, like too many modern teams in big games, clearly wanted to make a target of the opposition's danger man, in this case Zlatan Ibrahimovic. To get him booked or sent off. They succeeded in a manner which made the heart sink.
Ibra's challenge on Oscar was not a good one, but it was hardly the crime of the century. The Swede should have seen yellow for a reckless tackle.
But with Chelsea's Brazilian midfield man living up to his name with an Academy Award-worthy display as he writhed in apparent agony, and his teammates crowding round referee Bjorn Kuipers to demand the ultimate sanction, Ibrahimovic was sent off. Perhaps Kuipers would have produced the red card anyway, but the histrionic and cynically calculated reaction of the Chelsea players made sure. It was a sickening spectacle.
Some might shrug their shoulders and say this is just how it is these days in top matches. But it really does not have to be like this.
At its best the modern game is fast, dynamic, stylish and beautiful, as we saw many times at the World Cup in Brazil. But here was a sorry and pathetic exhibition of everything that is wrong with football.
Jose Mourinho's eve-of-match portrayal of Paris Saint-Germain as a dirty team fed on a diet of red meat was all part of the plot, a transparent attempt to plant a seed in the mind of the referee. It obviously worked. Indeed, Mourinho's approach to a game that his team only needed to draw 0-0 to qualify casts a shadow on his reputation as some sort of European mastermind.
Even with the opposition reduced to 10 men, Chelsea's lethargic outfit showed little interest in pressing home their advantage and going for the jugular. They were spoiling with Cesc Fabregas cast as "the Invisible Man" and the combustible Diego Costa looking as if he could start a fight in a churchyard.
Incensed by the overreaction to the Ibrahimovic incident, the French team were not blameless as the game descended into a series of arguments with the ref, niggly fouls, attempted dives and players feigning injury in the hope of getting their fellow professionals booked. You wondered how some parents watching on TV were explaining this level of supposed "gamesmanship" to their children.
Belatedly, a football match broke out and, even with 10 men, PSG demonstrated what we had witnessed in Paris, that they were the superior side and fully deserved to go through. Strangely, this might have been the night when they truly came of age as a European power.
Mourinho was graceful enough to admit his team had been outplayed, while still harping on about PSG's robust approach. The reality is that Laurent Blanc's side were the only ones trying to play on the night, with Marco Verratti, Javier Pastore, Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta the best performers on view.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said his side failed to cope with the pressure of their last-16 second leg-match against PSG and admitted his opponents deserved to progress.
There was a kind of karma at work as David Luiz delivered a crucial goal against his old club only hours after Mourinho had told journalists: "We miss him as a person, but not as a centre-half." Well, the centre-halves the Chelsea boss clearly prefers certainly went missing on both PSG goals.
This was more than a defeat for Chelsea, who must now concentrate on securing the Premier League title with their egos battered. It was a reverse that should make Mourinho think. He is a clever coach, but there are times when he imbues his teams with a negative pragmatism, which means they will rarely be loved.
For an hour, it was one of the most ugly and unpleasant games since the 2010 World Cup final in which the Netherlands tried to kick Spain off the park.
As suggested by former Premier League referee Graham Poll, FIFA need to issue a directive that only the captain can approach the referee during a game. Anyone else needs to know they will be booked. That would quickly put a stop to the kind of unedifying scenes we witnessed on Wednesday.
The only other postscript is that the supposed "best league in the world," the Premier League, will be without a representative in the Champions League quarterfinals unless Arsenal can win by three goals in the return leg at Monaco, an improbable scenario.
It may be that the Premier League is so demanding every single week that it is leaving teams mentally drained for European assignments. Or could it be that the league is higher on drama and excitement than quality, and its leading teams are not nearly as good as they might imagine?
Zlatan Ibrahimovic:
Chelsea players acted like 'babies'
Chelsea's players acted like "babies" during the incident that led to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's red card on Wednesday, the Paris St-Germain striker says.
The Swede was sent off for a tackle on Oscar after 31 minutes but PSG survived the last hour of normal time and extra time to knock Chelsea out of the Champions League last 16 on away goals.
"When I got the red card all the Chelsea players come around," he said.
"It felt like I had a lot of babies around me."
Blues players surrounded Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers following Ibrahimovic's lunging tackle on Brazilian midfielder Oscar.
"I don't know if I have to get angry or start to laugh. For me when I saw the red card I was like 'the guy doesn't know what he's doing'," the PSG forward added.
Ibrahimovic, 33, also suggested Oscar feigned injury in the challenge, saying: "I don't know if he was acting afterwards. Doesn't matter. We won the game, we went through and let's see what happens."
The game at Stamford Bridge finished 2-2 on Wednesday and 3-3 on aggregate with PSG going through to the quarter-finals on away goals.
Uefa have confirmed Ibrahimovic's red card cannot be overturned, meaning he will miss at least the first leg of the French champions' quarter-final tie.
All red cards in Uefa competitions are reviewed by the governing body to determine whether mandatory one-match bans are extended.
Reaction to the 'ugly side' of Chelsea's defeat
BBC Radio 5 live commentator Alan Green: "Never in a month of Sundays was this an acceptable game of football. I'm not defending any of these cretins out there who are behaving disgracefully."
BBC Radio 5 live presenter Mark Chapman: "They are all as bad as each other. I don't think these two sides are the only ones that do it. We see it week in, week out."
BBC Radio 5 live summariser Mark Lawrenson: "Chelsea's reaction as a team almost seemed choreographed. It was as if someone pushed a button and said, 'Go and surround the referee'. I think Diego Costa ran 50 yards - what's it got to do with him?"
'Not the British way'
Former Liverpool captain and manager Graeme Souness labelled Chelsea's approach "pathetic" and was particularly angered by their reaction to Ibrahimovic's challenge.
Hazard fouls caused reaction - Nevin
"PSG had to put up with stuff which I find really, really unappealing," the Sky Sports pundit said.
"To a man, they (Chelsea players) surrounded the referee, (Diego) Costa ran 50 yards to get involved.
"That is something we can do without. That is not the British way of doing things, it's creeping into our game, which is, I find, totally unacceptable."
'Dirty tricks' Chelsea
Fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher was equally scathing.
"The worst bit of dirty tricks was from Chelsea, surrounding the referee, the reaction was disgraceful," the former Liverpool defender said.
"Jose Mourinho could end up being the most successful manager ever with the trophies he goes on to win in his career but I don't think him and his teams will be ever be loved because of actions like that.
"Does Mourinho care? I don't think he probably cares. I think it's sad."
Why won't Ibrahimovic's red card be rescinded?
The referee's decision will not be overturned by Uefa unless it is a case of mistake identity, the governing body have confirmed.
"Decisions taken by the referee on the field of play are final and may not be reviewed by the Uefa disciplinary bodies," its disciplinary regulations state.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and his PSG counterpart Laurent Blanc had hoped the Sweden striker's red card could be overturned, allowing him to play in the quarter-finals.
Mourinho felt officials had a poor view of Ibrahimovic's sending-off.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Champions League factfile
Age: 33
Champions League appearances: 114
Champions League goals: 44
Became the 10th player to score four goals in a Champions League game when PSG beat Anderlecht 5-0 in October 2013
Has never won a Champions League title
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