Falcao sparks Madrid fiesta

SOCCER EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL: Atletico Madrid 3 Athletic Bilbao 0:MARCELO BIELSA paced, he squatted, he sat, he shouted, he looked on pensively, but whatever he did his Athletic side rarely threatened to make an impression on an Atletico Madrid team coached by one of his former players, Diego Simeone.

Whatever Athletic have brought to the Europa League this season – which is a lot – however much the neutral might have wanted another of their displays of relentless attacking, last night they were well-beaten.

Two first-half goals from the Colombian forward Radamel Falcao won the game, allowing Atletico to spend the final hour or so sitting deep, coiled always for a breakaway. Just as important was the job done by Gabi and Mario Suarez, sitting deep in midfield and protecting the back four.

In the last 20 minutes Athletic began to generate pressure but it was far too late: the game had begun to slip away in the seventh minute. Falcao, who scored the only goal in last season’s Europa League final as Porto beat Braga, received the ball halfway between the six- and 18-yard boxes. Fernando Amorebieta seemed to have checked him, but a stepover created a fraction of room giving Falcao just enough space to curl a superb finish into the top corner.

For a quarter of an hour Athletic were second best. Gradually, though, they began to find their rhythm and – predictably – it was their two young wingers who looked like offering a way back into the game. First Markel Susaeta played a cross into Fernando Llorente but the striker mis-hit his volley just wide, then Iker Muniain forced Thibaut Courtois into a sprawling save.

But this is not an Athletic that ever looks comfortable at the back. Every break seemed dangerous and Falcao had the beating of Amorebieta. Others, being forced to stretch a foot behind them to control Arda Turan’s 34th-minute cross, might have lashed a shot on the turn; Falcao, though, twisted back onto his left foot, leaving Amorebieta in a heap, and thumped in his 12th goal in 15 European matches this season.

Although the crowd was predominantly red-and-white there was also a Romanian flavour, which these days in football terms tends to mean there is an undercurrent of discontent. There were chants against the domestic league’s president Dumitru Dragomir and also a two-man pitch invasion by Universitatea Craiova fans protesting at the expulsion of their club from the league.

On another night perhaps Athletic would have forced something late on. Shots were blocked, crosses flew across goal and Courtois blocked to thwart Susaeta. Athletic’s vulnerability was always there and Diego accelerated by Amorebieta to add a third. A few moments earlier only the post denied Falcao his hat-trick.

Guardian Service

ATLETICO MADRID:Courtois, Juanfran, Godin, Miranda, Filipe Luis, Mario Suarez, Gabi, Diego (Koke 90), Adrian (Salvio 88), Turan (Dominguez 90), Falcao. Subs not used: Sergio Asenjo, Antonio Lopez, Paulo Assuncao, Martin. Booked: Falcao.

ATHLETIC BILBAO:Iraizoz, Iraola, Javi Martinez, Amorebieta, Aurtenetxe (Ibai 46), Ander Herrera (Toquero 63), Iturraspe (Inigo Perez 46), De Marcos, Susaeta, Llorente, Muniain. Subs not used: Raul, San Jose, Gabilondo, Ekiza. Booked: Ander Herrera, Amorebieta, Inigo Perez, Susaeta.

Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Germany).