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Europa League final: Antoine Griezmann scores twice as Atletico Madrid beat Marseille
EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL LIVE - Follow Marseille vs Atletico updates with Express Sport.
Europa League final LIVE
Atletico Madrid are Europa League champions after a clinical display by Diego Simeone’s men.
Antoine Griezmann scored either side of half time to put the Spaniards in firm control.
Kostas Mitroglou came close to halving the deficit for Marseille but his header came off the post.
The Ligue 1 side had lost Dimitri Payet early in the first half through injury.
And Gabi’s low drive with a minute remaining wrapped up the game.
Get match reaction from the final with Express Sport below…
Atletico players celebrate with the Europa League trophy
MARSEILLE 0-3 ATLETICO MADRID FT
ATLETICO WIN THE EUROPA LEAGUE
REACTION
22:25: Fernando Torres has finally won a trophy with Atletico Madrid.
He said: "It's a day to celebrate and for me, a fantastic ending.
“It's a happiness hard to explain, it's a dream come true.”
22:15: Antoine Griezmann spoke to BeIN Sport after lifting his first major trophy with Atletico Madrid.
"I left home at 14 years old because I wanted to win trophies, this is my second after the Supercopa and I hope there can be more,” he said.
"[Marseille] are an offensive team, they work very well. We work ourselves and defend well to be a hard opponent who takes advantage of their errors."
������������ ¡CAMPEOOOOONES, CAMPEOOOOONES! ������������ #RoadToNeptuno #AúpaAtleti pic.twitter.com/Eq3ECrzbFi
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) May 16, 2018
FT: Marseille are put out of their misery.
90: Torres comes on for a cameo appearance! What fun.
89: GOAL! And that’s that. Gabby drills home a third on the counter attack. Marseille are exhausted.
87: Wow. Possibly the worst goal attempt of the entire competition. Clinton Njie (remember him, Spurs fans?) tries to shoot with the outside of his right foot rather than trust his left. The ball bobbles off his shit and out for a throw-in. Dreadful.
81: CLOSE! Oh so close for Marseille. Substitute Mitroglou heads on a cross, the ball hits the inside of the post and somehow bounces away from danger.
Antoine Griezmann scores the first goal for Atletico
75: Atletico are barely keeping possession but they’ve clogged the midfield up so much they’re forcing Marseille out wide and well away from danger. Fernando Torres is warming up. He could be coming on in a minute or two.
67: Atletico sitting back now, knowing they can stifle this game. Marseille are probing but not getting very far. A flicker of inspiration is needed here.
51: GOAL! Griezmann runs through again it chips over the goalkeeper for 2-0. Game over? Maybe.
46: We're back underway in Lyon…
HT: That’s the whistle for half time. Atletico in control here after a disappointing start. Marseille need to get more men up the field. They’re being stifled way too often.
40: The smoke in the stadium created from flares in the stands is causing problems out there. The football has died off a bit here. Atletico seem happy to drain the clock down already.
Dimitri Payet came off in tears injured during the first half
The Europa League trophy is heading back to Atletico Madrid
Flares were lit in the stadium before kick off
30: Marseille are yet to create a chance since going a goal down. Lopez comes on for Payet, was a fitness doubt before the game.
Atletico are defending in numbers when they need. It’s an early prediction, but this game may stay the way it is…
21: GOAL! Griezmann slides home for 1-0 to Atletico after a mistake in the Marseille defence.
15: It’s been a fun opening here in Lyon. Marseille have twice fired efforts wide of goal, while Koke just missed the target after a sustained period of Atletico pressure.
4: What a miss! Marseille’s Germain breaks through on the right but blazes his shot over. A poor finish.
1: We're underway!
19:44: The players are on the pitch! We’re almost ready for kick off…
Flares were thrown onto the pitch from outside the ground this afternoon
Where’s Diego?
19:35: Diego Simeone will not be on the Atletico Madrid bench tonight.
Why? Because he is still serving a UEFA touchline ban after his antics in Atletico’s semi-final first leg with Arsenal.
Someone watched the second leg of that semi-final in the stands.
And he will be there again, no doubt somehow relaying messages to his backroom staff on the touchline.
Europa League final lineups
18:45: The teams are out and it’s fair to say Marseille have a job on their hands tonight.
Diego Costa and Antoine Griezmann start up front for Atletico.
Fernando Torres, who leaves the club this summer, is on the bench.
Dimitri Payet has passed a fitness test and starts for Marseille.
Newcastle flop Florian Thauvin is tasked with marshalling the midfield.
Marseille XI: Sarr, Rami, Luiz Gustavo, Amavi, Thauvin, Zambo Anguissa, Payet, Sanson, Ocampos, Germain
Atletico XI: Oblak, Lucas, Godin, Gimenez, Vrsaljko, Gabi, Saul, Correa, Koke, Costa, Griezmann
Diego Simeone will watch the final from the stands
⚽️ STARTING XI: UEFA @EuropaLeague final ������
— Olympique Marseille (@OM_English) May 16, 2018
Here are the 1⃣1⃣ players tasked with bringing a second European title to Marseille!
ALLEZ OM! ⚪️������#OMAtleti | #OurStoryContinues | @atletienglish pic.twitter.com/7oVgTAsiy4
������������ | STARTING LINE-UP
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) May 16, 2018
THESE 1⃣1⃣ ATLÉTICOS on the pitch and MILLIONS of ������⚪������ fans cheering us on like always❗❕#AúpaAtleti #OMAtleti #UELFinal pic.twitter.com/u2Hcw2NidO
Europa League crowd trouble?
Flares have been thrown into the stadium in Lyon from fans outside of the ground.
Some of the flares appeared to have parachutes attached.
Safety officials and grounds people were pictured clearing the objects and repairing the pitch.
There is a heavy police presence in Lyon today to ward against crowd trouble.
Dimitri Payet back in the spotlight
When Payet forced through his move back to Marseille from West Ham, many English football fans thought that was the last we would see of him for a while.
Well, Payet has impressed in Europe this season and could be the difference for Marseille tonight.
Payet has been a fitness doubt for the game but speaking on Tuesday he said: “I feel a lot better. Yes, I feel I can play tomorrow.
“I’ve been feeling very good, especially since the beginning of 2018.
“I haven't changed anything except I have been injured less and when you have no injuries it's must easier to play and feel better on the pitch.”
Olympique Marseille fans on the way to Lyon for Europa League Final! pic.twitter.com/8dtjIirVy7
— The Casual Firm (@thecasualfirm) May 16, 2018
Dimitri Payet could be the star for Marseille tonight
Atletico build-up
Diego Simone insists his Atletico Madrid side are not favourites tonight.
“Whenever I played in a final I experienced it with the same clarity, regardless of the talk or whatever else surrounds the game,” Simeone told a Press conference.
“That is for people who don’t take part, as the only things that matters are reality and what happens on the pitch.
“We know we’ll need to play against an opponent where we need to minimise their attacking game. Those who are there know how to play.
“We both play similar, direct football and share the same enthusiasm. They will be full of self-confidence, with a high rhythm to their game in midfield, and we must impose ourselves.
“Marseille are a dangerous team in every attacking aspect. Dimitri Payet imposes a rhythm with his mind and the speed of his feet. Their Coach has also done a very good job.”
The flares were thrown onto the field way ahead of kick off
The Lyon police force in no joking mood this evening, with big clashes feared between Marseille fans and Lyon ultras ahead of tonight's Europa League final vs Atletico Madrid. pic.twitter.com/hNjf8U6vWM
— Get French Football (@GFFN) May 16, 2018
Marseille build-up
Marseille manager Rudi Garcia spoke in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
“We have a lot of respect for Atletico. They are very solid, have the best defence in the Spanish League, and formidable attackers in Griezmann and Costa,” Garcia said.
“The character of both teams is similar; we’ve shown this in the Europa League and also to get into a Champions League place.
“Atleti are one of the great teams in Spain. Perhaps they have more experience but this is a 90-minute football match – and that’s it!
“But I’m disappointed Simeone is not on the bench. It’s difficult for a Coach to be deprived of being with his players. I think other ways of sanctioning us could be found without being removed from the technical area.
“Simeone is a born winner and he has done a fantastic job at Atletico. For almost a decade he has been one of the main figures in world football.”
Marseille vs Atletico head to head
Marseille and Atletico have met once before, in the 2008 Champions League group stage.
Atletico earned a draw and a win from those games. Read into that what you will!
A sea of red and white in Lyon pic.twitter.com/W7kOjb9bDh
— AtléticoFans (@AtleticoFans) May 16, 2018
There is a heavy police presence in Lyon tonight
Welcome
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Europa League final, between Marseille and Atletico Madrid.
Atletico are the heavy favourites heading into this clash as they eye a third Europa League triumph.
They come up against a Marseille side who last won a European trophy in 1993, when they lifted the Champions League (no, we’re not including their 2005 Intertoto Cup triumph!).
The match kicks off at 7.45pm and we will have all the highlights and updates for you all night.