Antoine Griezmann scored twice as Atletico Madrid swept aside Olympique De Marseille in Lyon to win the Europa League for the third time in nine years.
Antoine Griezmann achieved a unique first as the Frenchman downed compatriots Marseille with a Europa League final double.
Griezmann was the star of the show on Wednesday night as he scored two goals - on what could be his last ever game in an Atletico Madrid shirt - to beat Marseille 3-0 and win the UEFA Europa League.
The French forward Antoine Griezmann player broke new ground with a brilliantly opportunistic brace in Lyon, as his countrymen had no answer to a well-drilled Atleti.
Olympique De Marseille had begun brighter and were well on top midway through the first half when a fateful piece of miscontrol by André Zambo Anguissa close to his own area led to the opening goal of the final.
OM were winded, and their hopes suffered another huge blow when the talismanic Dimitri Payet, an injury doubt before the game, limped off soon after.
Griezmann opened the scoring by punishing Andre Zambo Anguissa's poor touch to coolly slot home, then he doubled the lead after the break.
Captain Gabi drilled in the third goal late on as Atletico again lifted the third Europa League trophy in nine seasons they also won in 2010 and 2012.
Griezmann is now the first French player to score two in a Champions League or Europa League final, including the European Cup or UEFA Cup forerunners of each trophy.
With 29 goals in all competitions this season, Griezmann has been vital to Atletico's season as the Colchoneros sit in second place in La Liga.
Textbook Atlético de Madrid there was only ever going to be one winner.
Atlético did what they do best: grinding out results. It did not quite happen for them in the UEFA Champions League this season but once they came into the UEFA Europa League they never hid their desire to lift the trophy. Thanks to that man Griezmann they have landed a third title in eight years and their remarkable upward trajectory under head coach Diego Simeone continues.
Congratulations to Atletico Madrid, the 2018 Europa League champions. Commiserations to Marseille, for whom the stars never looked like aligning. Spanish teams have now won eight of the last nine Europa League and Champions League trophies on offer.
0 comments:
Post a Comment