Two Atletico Madrid academy graduates scored their first senior goals to send the club into Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Arsenal in confident mood.
Simeone made wholesale changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Arsenal at the Metropolitano on Wednesday, naming a lineup that contained none of his usual starters and giving first-team debuts to three youth players.
Iker Luque, 20, opened the scoring in the 74th minute from a precise near-post finish after coming off the bench, and Miguel Llorente Cubo added a second eight minutes later to complete the win.
It was the 10th occasion this season that a player from Atlético Madrileño had scored for the first team — a record for the club in a single campaign.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Simeone was effusive about the quality his academy has produced this season.
"Molina, Musso, Robin — they have the characteristics of the players we need in our squad. When we manage a squad like this, we need players like them."
On Nahuel Molina, who was the outstanding player in the first half and struck the crossbar with a 40-yard effort before setting up two chances: "On Nahuel, I am very clear that his best game is in transitions, from midfield forward.
"He has goals, shooting, assists. When he is more offensive, he can give us that. From further back it is more difficult. I had the game planned as it happened — that break from Molina, with Boñar, with Morcillo, with Rayane, who worked very well defensively."
On the debutants: "After that, the quality of Cubo. I made it clear to him what we need from a player like him. Iker is what we saw. These boys are Torres's work, not ours. It is a reward for Atlético de Madrid."
He was equally pointed when asked about the character the young players had shown.
"It does not surprise me. When you are at Atlético, you have to have these characteristics. And if they do not appear, you have to demand them. Against Sevilla we did not deserve to lose, against Elche we started well and the sending off conditioned us, and then this. The young players responded very well, as did the senior ones. We need this type of player."
Atlético are fourth in La Liga and require only a point from their remaining four matches to secure Champions League qualification for next season. The more pressing business is Tuesday, when they host Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium needing to overturn the 1-1 aggregate score.