Diego Costa ensured Arsene Wenger’s 22-year reign as Arsenal manager will end in Huddersfield and not Lyon as the former Chelsea man hit the winner for Atletico Madrid in a closely fought Europa League semi-final.
Wenger announced last month that he will step down at the end of the season, a campaign now set to end in bitter disappointment and with no silverware following a 1-0 defeat at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The Gunners lost captain Laurent Koscielny early on, reportedly with a torn Achilles, and the visitors’ night got worse on the stroke of half-time when Costa notched the goal that secured a 2-1 aggregate win for Diego Simeone’s side.
Our Europa League run ends in Madrid.#ATLvAFC pic.twitter.com/7V5V29tbRJ
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) May 3, 2018
Tweet of the match
If there’s a better defensively organised side in Europe than Atletico Madrid, I haven’t seen it. Faultless.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) May 3, 2018
Moment of the match
Diego Costa fended off the feeble covering challenge of Hector Bellerin to blast home the opening goal, after latching on to Antoine Griezmann’s expertly angled through-ball.
Star man – Antoine Griezmann
Arsenal should break the bank for Simeone & Griezmann. pic.twitter.com/tD2qgfds9g
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 3, 2018
The France star kept the Gunners on their toes all night, and laid on the goal that proved the difference in the tie.
Stat of the day
⏱FULL-TIME | 1-0 |#ATLÉTICOSAROUNDTHEWORLD, SING IT WITH US ❗❕❗?? LYON ?? ?? HERE ?? ?? WE ?? ?? COME! ?? #AúpaAtleti #AtletiArsenal #UEL pic.twitter.com/IereaGnNRE
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) May 3, 2018
Former Chelsea striker Diego Costa now boasts four goals in seven appearances against Arsenal in all competitions.
Ratings
Atletico Madrid: Jan Oblak 7 (out of 10), Teye Thomas 8, Jose Maria Gimenez 7, Diego Godin 7, Moises Gomez 7, Koke 7, Gabriel Fernandez 8, Saul Niguez 8, Vitolo 7, Diego Costa 8, Antoine Griezmann 9. Subs: Angel Correa (for Vitola, 73) 7, Fernando Torres (for Costa, 82) 7, Stefan Savic (for Thomas, 90) 6.
Arsenal: David Ospina 5, Hector Bellerin 4, Shkodran Mustafi 6, Laurent Koscielny 6, Nacho Monreal 5, Aaron Ramsey 7, Granit Xhaka 5, Jack Wilshere 6, Danny Welbeck 5, Mesut Ozil 6, Alexandre Lacazette 5. Subs: Calum Chambers (for Koscielny, 12) 5, Henrikh Mkhitaryan (for Wilshere, 67) 7.
Who’s up next
Atletico Madrid v Espanyol, La Liga, Sunday, May 6
Arsenal v Burnley, Premier League, Sunday, May 6
