Atletico Madrid are 'legendary' after beating Bayern Munich... how the European papers hailed Champions League semi-final heroics

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While former Atletico Madrid boss Claudio Ranieri continues to earn plaudits for his feats with Leicester City, current boss Diego Simeone has been showered with praise across the continent too.

On Tuesday night, Simeone guided Atletico to their second Champions League showpiece in three years as they overcame Bayern Munich in the two-legged semi-finals.

The reaction to Atletico's feat has been well received in Spain, with Madrid-based newspaper AS hailing them as 'legendary'.

Atletico Madrid have been hailed as 'legendary' by AS after reaching the Champions League final on Tuesday

Antoine Griezmann's strike proved decisive as the La Liga outfit went through via a 2-2 aggregate scoreline on away goals.

AS adds that the Frenchman's goal 'buries a trauma that lasted 42 years,' in reference to the 1974 European Cup final - which Bayern won 4-0 in a replay against Atletico.

Mundo Deportivo recognises this 42-year wait aspect too as their headline in Wednesday's edition reads 'The Avengers'.

Madrid-based publication Marca is equally as effusive about Atleti's achievement.

'You are incredible!' their headline reads as Griezmann and the 'outstanding' Jan Oblak in goal led them to the Milan final on May 28.

Mundo Deportivo (left) hails Atletico as 'The Avengers', while Marca describes them as 'The Incredibles'

Atletico's bitter city rivals Real Madrid could be their opponents in the final, in a repeat of 2014's spectacle, if they overcome Manchester City on Wednesday night - and the paper previews that match by writing 'And today it's up to you!'

Over in Italy, La Gazzetta dello Sport pay tribute to Atletico's style of play under Simeone.

Describing the Argentine as 'Fierce', the paper calls his tactics 'ugly and wicked' but also 'beautiful and impossible' to they dump Pep Guardiola's side out of the last four.

They describe the second-leg encounter as a 'war' - something that French newspaper L'Equipe supports with their front page headline reading 'Ferocious' as Atletico players celebrate in Munich.

Meanwhile, the mood is understandably in Germany following Bayern's exit. 'Pep's most bitter defeat' read Wednesday's edition of Bild.

'Pep has without doubt given so much to Bayern and German football,' wrote one columnist, 'Jupp Heynckes and Ottmar Hitzfeld are probably not better managers just because they managed to win the Champions League with Bayern.'

La Gazzetta dello Sport (left) praise Atletico boss Diego Simeone, while L'Equipe call his team 'Ferocious'

The front cover of Bild on Wednesday includes the headline 'Pep's most bitter defeat' following Bayern's exit