Europa League: Arsenal can’t break Atletico defense in second leg
By Orri Benatar
Arsenal tried to send their greatest manager to a European final in his final season. Diego Costa made sure Gunners fans went home disappointed.
The Metropolitano hosted the second leg of the Europa League semifinals between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal. Diego Simeone’s home squad shut down Arsenal with their impenetrable defense. Led by the Uruguayan centerback duo of Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez, Atletico only allowed seven shots all game with just one being on Jan Oblak’s goal.
The moment that sent Atleti to their third European final in four years was Diego Costa’s late first-half goal. It brought back memories of his Chelsea days as he outran the Arsenal defense and powered his way to the box. A powerful shot over David Ospina was the winner. Arsene Wenger will end his Arsenal career without a European trophy.
Diego Costa gets a BIG goal for Atletico!
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 3, 2018
Don't worry Arsenal fans, you still just need 1 goal to send this to extra time. pic.twitter.com/cbQYRHLZN2
Arsene Wenger’s legacy untainted after the loss
In the time Arsene Wenger was the manager at Arsenal, Manchester United won two Champions Leagues and its first Europa League, Liverpool came back in Istanbul, and Chelsea won its first ever UCL and UEL in back-to-back years. Arsene Wenger ends his Gunner history with one Champions League final in 2006 and one UEFA Cup final in 2000.
Next: What Arsenal need to do for next season
This doesn’t mean his tenure was a failure. Arsenal fans shouldn’t look at this fact with utter despair. In the eras of Sir Alex Ferguson, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi, it’s been hard for a handful of teams to win in Europe since 1997. Wenger accomplished the goal of bringing Arsenal Premier League titles against those great Man United teams and even some decent Liverpool sides.
Atletico Madrid v Marseille for the title
Atleti will face Marseille in the Europa League final in Lyon. Marseille needed an extra-time goal from Rolando to beat Red Bull Salzburg and make their first Europa League final since 1999. The match pits a great defense against a great offense and a lot will be a stake.
https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/992155517308080128
For Madrid, it’s a chance to win Spain a sixth Europa League crown in the last nine years. If their rivals Real Madrid can win the Champions League, it would be the fourth time in the last five years that La Liga teams sweep the European trophies. As for Marseille, a French team has never won the Europa League and hasn’t won a Champions League since 1993.