Albion learnt a few things about themselves on the pitch yesterday.

And the same may well in true in reverse of Atletico and those who follow them for a living as they soaked up their Brighton weekend.

Four members of the Madrid press enjoyed a guided tour of the Amex on Saturday morning.

That was followed by a trip to the British Airways i360 and an afternoon, evening and Sunday morning enjoying the buzz of the city.

Though impressed by the facilities, the changing rooms and pitch at the Amex, two things really caught their eye.

One was the museum, which they loved as “mixing the modern with tradition”. The other was the hospitality lounges.

The Argus:

Atleti arrive at the Amex

One seemed particularly intrigued by the idea of a football stadium hosting Christmas parties as he flicked through the brochure for the festive period.

Atletico are heading away from the atmospheric but old Vicente Calderon and into a new, modern arena on the edge of Madrid this summer.

And the way Albion use their new stadium in the business of hospitality and event-hosting, not just on matchdays, seemed to be of interest to those who are writing about the big move.

The public transport subsidy scheme also seemed to be a source of fascination.

Whether Atleti’s directors were asking similar questions upstairs, we don’t know.

But, even if they weren’t, this was the weekend when professionals from one of Europe’s elite football capitals, who spend their time in the Liga Santander and Champions League, visited Brighton and Hove Albion – and were hugely impressed.