Marseille 0-3 Atletico Madrid: 5 Talking Points

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Champions!

Goalscorers: Antoine Griezmann 21' 49' Gabi 89'

Atletico Madrid have become the Europa League champions after they proved to be too tough to tame for Marseille as they march out of the season as deserved winners of the Europa League. However, contrary to what the scoreline suggests, it was Marseille that looked set to take the lead on the night after starting off ever so brightly.

However, a defensive error would undo everything before Griezmann and Gabi put the game beyond doubt and added another bit of silverware to Atletico's cabinet.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the 5 talking points from the game.


#5 Marseille start brightly but couldn't capitalize on the early momentum

Marseille, who were enjoying the lion's share of the support at the Stade De Lyon, Marseille started the game off on the right foot. They were pressing high up the pitch and surprised Atletico with their intensity from the get-go.

It looked like they might just catch the Spanish side off guard and they almost did but Payet's defence-splitting through ball couldn't be finished off by Valere Germain.

But the atmosphere changed entirely when Andre Zamba Anguissa's defensive error gifted a goal to Atletico Madrid. And once that goal went in, it suddenly looked like a mammoth task for Marseille as we all know how sturdy the Atletico Madrid defence can be.

#4 Griezmann's parting shots show why he is one of the best in the world

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Griezmann was on fire once again

You can't afford players like Antoine Griezmann chances like the ones he got last night or he will punish you. Griezmann's cool finishes absolutely bamboozled Mandanda on both occasions and the Frenchman showed yet again why he might be one of the best individual players out there in Europe.

Griezmann scored in the Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the finals!

With rumours of an Atletico Madrid exit growing stronger by the day, this might just have been the last time we see Griezmann featuring for Los Rojiblancos.

Atletico Madrid had a poor run in the first half of the season and it was in sync with Griezmann's poor form early on in the season. However, since the turn of the year, Griezmann has come to life and how much better Atletico Madrid became as a team with him leading the line goes to show just how important he is to Diego Simeone's side.

If Griezmann does indeed join Barcelona in the summer, it will be a huge blow for both the Madrid giants.

#3 The Dimitri Payet heartbreak

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Payet had to be taken off due to injury

It was clear from the get-go that Payet was the one who was going to weave magic for Marseille in the centre. His movement, dribbling and passing were causing Atletico some real concern at the back in the early stages of the game.

However, as he had to be taken off due to injury, you could see the disappointment on his face and on the fans' faces as well. Marseille looked severely starved of quality going forward in the Frenchman's absence.

As a result, Marseille bottled their chance to be the first French team to win a major European trophy since 1995. As for Payet, we hope that the injury is not a serious one and that he will be all set to go to Russia.

#2 Big games are won on mistakes

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So close yet so far

Yes, the cliche rings true tonight. Olympique Marseille looked capable of sweeping Atletico Madrid away in the first quarter of an hour and could have even gone ahead had they been clinical in front of goal.

Marseille then played themselves into the hands of Simeone's side as Mandanda's poor pass couldn't be trapped by Anguissa inside their own half. Griezmann needs no invitation to put them away.

They could've done better about the second goal as well but once the ball fell to Griezmann, there was no stopping them. If Marseille had taken their early chance and had been more resolute at the back, they could have had a real chance on the night.

But they let the game slip through their hands and in the end, made it really comfortable for their Spanish counterparts.

#1 Atletico's defensive solidity will keep buoying them forward

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Atletico Madrid are champions

In a game where defensive stability is looked at with less reverence than attacking brashness, Atletico Madrid offers a welcome divergence. It was their defensive solidity that saw them through once again.

They starved Marseille off opportunities with a Kostas Mitroglou header that crashed against the post being their only notable effort on goal on the night.

On nights like these, the defence has to step up to the plate and at the Stade des Lumieres, only one team's defence truly came to their own.

While Marseille's defence made errors that led to their undoing, Atletico's defence shut up shop and won Atletico Madrid the title. Simple as that.

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Edited by Shambhu Ajith