Easy Pickings For Atletico Madrid
World Soccer|June 2018

Spanish side claim another European title

Keir Radnedge
Easy Pickings For Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid won their sixth European trophy far more easily than the two-goal scoreline suggested. And the underlying issue from the Europa League Final in Lyon was how the widening of football’s class gap is not only about the “Big Five” and the rest but even within the TV-rich leagues of western Europe.

Last year, Paris Saint-Germain splashed €222 million on Neymar who, apart from the financial flattery, was also misleadingly entranced by the idea that Qatari investment had raised PSG to the level of Barcelona and Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

It took around half a season, even before PSG fell to Real Madrid in the Champions League, for Neymar to understand his misjudgement of the standard of Ligue 1. The evidence was laid out in stark clarity in the Europa Final between the second-best club in Spain and the fourth-best in France.

Once the first goal had gone in, it was game over. Atletico were a class better in every aspect – but there was more to it than that. Marseille were beaten partly because carelessness unmarked in the French league was punished ruthlessly. Clubs who command their own leagues do so not only through their own strength but also because of the weakness of the opposition – which can trick them into a false sense of superiority.

For French football pride there was consolation to be found only in the emergence of Antoine Griezmann as the two-goal man of the match. The 27-year-old France striker was a fan of Marseille as a boy but did not let that affect his commitment to Atletico’s winning cause, even amid speculation that he will be off to Barcelona after the World Cup.

This story is from the June 2018 edition of World Soccer.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the June 2018 edition of World Soccer.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM WORLD SOCCERView All
Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
World Soccer

Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer

There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2024
Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer
World Soccer

Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer

The well-travelled Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer after taking charge of the Philippines-his 11th international coaching role

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
Inter cruise to title number 20
World Soccer

Inter cruise to title number 20

Simone Inzaghi's Internazionale shrug off all challengers before sealing the Serie A title in style against their biggest rivals

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
HAT-TRICK HERO
World Soccer

HAT-TRICK HERO

Ademola Lookman wrote his name into European football's history books with a hat-trick in the Europa League final

time-read
6 mins  |
July 2024
GOING UP
World Soccer

GOING UP

The story of Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres' career has been one of upward trajectory - and there's plenty more to come from the Sporting superstar

time-read
6 mins  |
July 2024
Palau soldier on alone
World Soccer

Palau soldier on alone

The isolated Pacific nation faces a long and lonely battle to improve football on the island

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2024
Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six
World Soccer

Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six

As the Copa Libertadores group stage concludes, a sixth consecutive Brazilian winner is looking likely

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown
World Soccer

AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown

The first edition of the Saudi Pro League's glamorous new era ends with a familiar title winner

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
Disasters brewing
World Soccer

Disasters brewing

There is still a long way to go in World Cup qualifying, but dysfunction reigns at Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria after four matchdays in the group stage

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
Second round of World Cup qualifying underway
World Soccer

Second round of World Cup qualifying underway

Favourites perform largely as expected, yet Cayman Islands dominate the headlines

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024