Griezmann show sees Atletico crowned Europa League champions

Marseille went into the game looking to become the first French side to win the Europa League and that looked the most likely outcome in the opening exchanges as they came flying out of the blocks.

In fact, Marseille should have been ahead with just four minutes on the clock, but Valere Germain could only blaze over the crossbar from 12 yards with only Jan Oblak after being slipped in by Dimitri Payet.

Adil Rami volleyed just wide shortly afterwards as the Ligue 1 side made all the early running.

The possession stats read 61%-39% in Marseille's favour with 20 minutes gone, but just a minute later they shot themselves in the foot.

Steve Mandanda played the ball to Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa facing his own goal and his horrendous touch allowed Antoine Griezmann to seize on the loose ball and drive for goal before sending Mandanda the wrong way to give Atleti the lead against the run of play.

That goal helped the Spanish outfit settle and they were much improved from that point, whilst Marseille suffered a major blow just after the half-hour mark as captain Dimitri Payet limped off in tears with a muscle injury.

With just a goal between the two sides at the break, a comeback didn't seem completely out of the question, but with Griezmann striking again just four minutes after the restart, Marseille's hopes of lifting the trophy were all-but ended.

Atletico won the ball back following a Marseille throw, with Koke waiting for Diego Costa to draw his man away before feeing Griezmann to his right, the French international duly gathering the pass before dinking the ball over Mandanda and into the far corner to double the lead.

 

16 May 2018

It was one-way traffic at that point, with Atletico clearly in the ascendancy and Diego Godin was inches away from adding to the lead when he flicked a Griezmann corner narrowly wide at the near post.

Substitute Kostas Mitroglou went closest to finding Marseille a route back into the game as he headed a cross from the right against the post with Oblak beaten, but in truth, the French side rarely threatened after the break.

There was still time left for Atletico skipper Gabi to add some gloss to the scoreline, firing across Mandanda and into the far corner following a flowing counter with just a minute of normal time remaining.

The triumph is Atletico's third in the Europa League since 2010, though they will be hoping to have a bigger impact on the Champions League next time around.

 

16 May 2018