Atletico Madrid is the favorite team to win the Europa League trophy on Wednesday, which would be the third for the Spanish club.
The Madrid team won in 2010 the first edition since the tournament took over this name by replacing the UEFA Cup and also triumphed again in 2012. Also in recent seasons, according to UEFA rankings, Atletico has always been behind Real Madrid as the team Europe’s second best.
Marseille may be somewhat comforted by the fact that the final is played in France at the Lyon stadium. The Marseilles play their first European final since the 2003-2004 season when Fabien Barthez and Didier Drogba in their ranks could from Valencia in the UEFA Cup.
How did they get here?
After two Champions League defeats against Real in recent years, this season Atletico continued the second phase in Europa League after not going past the group he played with Chelsea and Roma. In the ‘small’ Europe it was expected that Atletico would get here, though in the semifinals he had to defeat Arsenal, another great European football name. The Madrid defender has been the key to success in the continent, as it has allowed only 4 goals in eight games, while 17 have been scored.
Unlike the Spanish, Marseille has started the European season since July in the qualifying stage, while in the Europa League groups only got 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses. After crossing the two Iberian teams, Braga and Bilbao, in the first stages of elimination, defeated RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg’s “bulls”, scoring 16 goals in their half on this journey.
History
She also speaks in favor of Spanish clubs. They have won 10 times the UEFA Cup / Europa League trophy, including the 5 finals. Without mentioning 17 Real and Barcelona’s victories in the Champions League that could soon become 18. While the only French club that won the Champions is Marseille in 1993. Even then their season was stained by the scuffle and the club did not was allowed to defend the trophy. The last French club that has brought a European home trophy is Paris SG when it raised the Cup of Nations in 1996. The Europa League victory would be the best way for Marseille to qualify for the upcoming Champions League season the championship ranks only four times when the first three places are participating.
Money
The final winner will take € 6.5 million and the loser € 3.5 million. But these figures have to be added to the rewards that have been made on the way the teams have done so, so both expect to earn from 15 to 20 million Euros. However, Atletico will receive another 15 million euros from participating in the Champions League./Flashsport24
