Griezmann inspires Atlético to Europa League glory
Antoine Griezmann had a homecoming to bite as a France brazen struck a idea in any half to acquire Atlético a third UEFA Europa League prize in 9 seasons.
Marseille had begun brighter and were good on tip mid by a initial half when a fatal square of miscontrol by André Zambo Anguissa tighten to his possess area led to a opening goal. Gabi pounced, promulgation a warning Griezmann by one-on-one with Steve Mandanda. There was customarily ever going to be one winner.
OM were winded, and their hopes suffered another outrageous blow when a talismanic Dimitri Payet, an damage doubt before a game, limped off shortly after. The knockout punch came mins after half-time, a sharp pierce final with a brilliant, impudent finish from Griezmann.
The teetering Marseille battled to a end, and roughly set adult a grandstand culmination when surrogate Kostas Mitroglou headed opposite a inside of a post with 9 mins left. But this was Griezmann’s night, even if Gabi did get in on a scoring act late on.
Man of a match: Antoine Griezmann (Atlético)
“Antoine is an OM fan,” Payet pronounced in a lead-up to a match. Not on this evidence. Two chances, dual goals. Brought adult 70km from Lyon, he has done a robe of scoring on his lapse for Real Sociedad, France and now Atleti – and what improved place to constraint your initial critical trophy?
Trademark Atleti
Atlético did what they do best: harsh out results. It did not utterly occur for them in a UEFA Champions League though once they came into a UEFA Europa League they never hid their enterprise to lift a trophy. Thanks to that male Griezmann they have landed a third pretension in 8 years and their conspicuous ceiling arena underneath Diego Simeone continues. Joe Walker
Payet pivotal for OM
Payet is so critical to Marseille’s play that Rudi Garcia had to take a risk on his captain’s fitness. The playmaker showed his category by environment adult Valère Germain’s stately early possibility though when he went off harmed it shortly became apparent that Marseille would unequivocally skip their talisman. Thauvin customarily feeds off Payet though never got going and notwithstanding a late revival, a Marseille better seemed unavoidable from a impulse Payet exited in tears. David Crossan
Reaction
Antoine Griezmann, Atlético forward: “I’ve been operative to knowledge such a impulse for many years. we left home when we was 14 for that. We’ll celebrate. My family is here. Hats off to Marseille, a good team. we don’t know how to report a finish [for my second goal]; maybe cold-blooded.”
Diego Simeone, Atlético coach: “It’s been a severe deteriorate and we consider a Europa League represents some-more than a trophy: it’s a feat for all we mount for, for tough work and industry. We’ve reinvented ourselves in this competition, and opposite Arsenal [in a semi-finals] we showed what we’re all about. We did so again tonight.”
Rudi Garcia, Marseille coach: “We had a best possibility initial adult [through Germain] and afterwards we done a mistake that cost us a goal. Against a group like Atlético we can't means to tumble behind. We were out of fitness when Mitroglou strike a post. A idea afterwards would have got us behind into a match. Atlético are a good group and we have no reason to be ashamed of this loss.”
Adil Rami, Marseille defender: “The final step was too distant for us though we fought for everything. We lacked experience. Against a group like this we shouldn’t try to play football. You need to hit it prolonged and high and win second balls. When we try to play and remove a round opposite them, that’s when you’re in trouble. The opening idea we conceded was a branch point. Up until afterwards we had uneasy their defence.”
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Key statistics
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Griezmann is a ninth actor to measure twice in a one-off UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League final – no one has managed a hat-trick.
- Gabi’s late idea was his initial for Atleti given Aug 2015; his initial in UEFA bar foe given 2011; and during 34 he is a oldest actor to net in a UEFA Europa League final.
- Atlético have changed alongside Internazionale, Juventus and Liverpool on 3 UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League triumphs. Only five-time winners Sevilla have more.
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Spanish sides have won 6 of a 9 trophies in a UEFA Europa League era: Sevilla (3) and Atlético (3).
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Gabi, Diego GodÃn, Koke and Juanfran enjoyed second final wins carrying claimed a prize underneath Simeone in 2011/12. A surrogate tonight, Filipe LuÃs was also partial of both victories.
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This was Marseille’s third UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League final defeat. The customarily other group to have mislaid 3 and not carried a prize are Benfica.