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Played
May 9, 2012 7:45 PM BST
Arena Națională — București
Referee:‬ W. Stark‎
Attendance:‬ 52347‎
 
7′ Radamel Falcao
 
34′ Radamel Falcao
 
85′ Diego Ribas
 

Atletico Madrid - Athletic Bilbao Preview: Bucharest set for all-Spanish Europa League final

European glory beckons in the Romanian capital on Wednesday night as the Primera Liga rivals face off to be crowned champions of the continent's second-tier club competition

By Karthick Arvinth

More On :  Athletic de Bilbao, Atlético de Madrid, Atlético de Madrid vs Athletic de Bilbao
Fernando Llorente - Athletic Bilbao
Fernando Llorente - Athletic Bilbao
  PROBABLE LINEUPS

ATLETICO MADRID

Courtois
Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Filipe
Suarez, Gabi
Adrian, Diego, Turan
Falcao
ATHLETIC BILBAO

Iraizoz
Iraola, Martinez, Amorebieta, Aurtenetxe
De Marcos, Iturraspe, Herrera
Susaeta, Llorente, Muniain

Atletico Madrid defender Luis Perea has shaken off a thigh problem and is fit for the Europa League final clash with Athletic Bilbao.

Captain Antonio Lopez is likely to be available, but Portuguese full-back Silvio will not return until next season.

Gabi should start in midfield in place of the suspended Tiago, while Fran Merida is cup-tied.

Athletic coach Marcelo Bielsa will revert to his strongest line-up after resting a number of players at the weekend.

Defender Fernando Amorebieta has a minor calf problem and will be given a late fitness test, but strikers Iker Muniain and Fernando Llorente will return having been left out of the squad for the goalless draw with Getafe.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Atletico Madrid come into the final on an 11-game Europa League winning streak, since losing 2-0 at Udinese in the group stage.
  • Los Colchoneros have never faced Athletic Bilbao in European competition before. Of the sides' 150 domestic league meetings, the capital club lead with 64 wins to Athletic's 59.
  • Atletico are appearing in their eighth major European final. Their first appearance resulted in 1961-62 Cup Winners' Cup success against Fiorentina, while they also won the inaugural edition of the Europa League against Fulham in 2009-10.
  • Athletic Bilbao have won just four of their last 11 matches in all competitions (W4 D3 L4).
  • The Basques beat their final opponents 3-0 at home in the league in October, but a Falcao double gave Atletico a 2-1 victory at the Vicente Calderon in March.
  • Athletic have never won a European trophy. Their only previous European final brought defeat on away goals by Juventus over two legs in the 1977 Uefa Cup.
  • Marcelo Bielsa was Diego Simeone's coach with Argentina from 1998 until World Cup 2002. The ex-Atletico midfielder made the last of his 106 international appearances under Bielsa in Sapporo, in a 1-0 defeat by England.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Atlético de Madrid 2-1 Athletic de Bilbao
    18.51 %
  • Atlético de Madrid 1-2 Athletic de Bilbao
    18.41 %
  • Atlético de Madrid 1-3 Athletic de Bilbao
    7.12 %
Head to Head
La Liga ‎(LIGA)‎ 27 Jan 2013 Athletic de Bilbao 3 - Atlético de Madrid 0
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
La Liga ‎(LIGA)‎ 27 Aug 2012 Atlético de Madrid 4 - Athletic de Bilbao 0
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Europa League ‎(EL)‎ 9 May 2012 Atlético de Madrid 3 - Athletic de Bilbao 0
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
La Liga ‎(LIGA)‎ 21 Mar 2012 Atlético de Madrid 2 - Athletic de Bilbao 1
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
La Liga ‎(LIGA)‎ 27 Oct 2011 Athletic de Bilbao 3 - Atlético de Madrid 0
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Last Five Matches
Atlético de Madrid
17 May 2013Real Madrid 1 - Atlético de Madrid 2ESPC
12 May 2013Atlético de Madrid 1 - Barcelona 2LIGA
8 May 2013Celta 1 - Atlético de Madrid 3LIGA
4 May 2013Deportivo La Coruña 0 - Atlético de Madrid 0LIGA
27 Apr 2013Atlético de Madrid 1 - Real Madrid 2LIGA
Athletic de Bilbao
19 May 2013Zaragoza 1 - Athletic de Bilbao 2LIGA
11 May 2013Athletic de Bilbao 2 - Mallorca 1LIGA
3 May 2013Celta 1 - Athletic de Bilbao 1LIGA
27 Apr 2013Athletic de Bilbao 2 - Barcelona 2LIGA
21 Apr 2013Deportivo La Coruña 1 - Athletic de Bilbao 1LIGA
Odds
Returns: Atlético Madrid £25.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Returns: Draw £290.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Bilbao £710.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Team News
Available Squads
13Thibaut CourtoisGoalkeeper
2Diego Godín LealDefender
6Filipe LuisDefender
20JuanfranMidfielder
23MirandaDefender
4Mario SuárezMidfielder
11Arda TuranMidfielder
14GabiMidfielder
10Diego RibasMidfielder
7AdriánStriker
9Radamel FalcaoStriker
25Sergio AsenjoGoalkeeper
6Antonio LópezDefender
15Álvaro DomínguezDefender
8Toto SalvioMidfielder
12Paulo AssunçaoMidfielder
19KokeMidfielder
-Pedro MartínStriker
1IraizozGoalkeeper
3Jon Aurtenetxe BordeDefender
5AmorebietaDefender
15Andoni IraolaDefender
8IturraspeMidfielder
14SusaetaMidfielder
21Ander HerreraMidfielder
20Javi MartínezMidfielder
9Fernando Llorente TorresStriker
10Óscar De MarcosMidfielder
19MuniainStriker
13Raúl Fernández MateosGoalkeeper
6Mikel San José DomínguezDefender
23Borja EkizaDefender
11Igor GabilondoMidfielder
17Íñigo PérezMidfielder
2ToqueroStriker
28Ibai GómezStriker
Players to Watch
Radamel Falcao
Radamel Falcao
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
3 1 1 0
The key for Atletico will be to get the ball to the lethal Colombian as much as possible, and, to do that, the Rojiblancos will need to match Athletic's intensity and work rate in midfield. The Basques' high tempo approach can make possession difficult to hold on to, so Falcao's job could be an old-fashioned one of holding the ball up and bringing his team-mates into play in the attacking third of the pitch.
Fernando Llorente Torres
Fernando Llorente Torres
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
8 1 0 0
It is his strength in the air that makes the 27-year-old Spaniard, linked with a host of big clubs across Europe, such a dangerous opponent. His movement and technical ability are other assets, as Sporting Lisbon found to their cost in the semi-final, meaning Diego Godin and Miranda will need to rely on much more than their aerial presence to keep Llorente quiet.
Probable Lineups
Thibaut Courtois 13
Diego Godín Leal 2
Filipe Luis 6
Juanfran 20
Miranda 23
Mario Suárez 4
Arda Turan 11
Gabi 14
Diego Ribas 10
Adrián 7
Radamel Falcao 9
Iraizoz 1
Jon Aurtenetxe Borde 3
Amorebieta 5
Andoni Iraola 15
Iturraspe 8
Susaeta 14
Ander Herrera 21
Javi Martínez 20
Fernando Llorente Torres 9
Óscar De Marcos 10
Muniain 19
Prediction
The abundance of attacking talent on both sides should make for an entertaining final, but it is the team from Bilbao who hold a slight edge having rested almost their entire first XI at the weekend. Under Bielsa, the Basques have evolved into a sophisticated, coherent attacking force, and Atletico will need to find the energy to play a couple of hours of high tempo football without an equal share of possession to nick this.
Editor's Prediction
Atlético Madrid 1
Bilbao 2
Results
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Libor Kozák Libor Kozák
Striker
Lazio 		10 0
Ó. Cardozo Ó. Cardozo
Striker
Benfica 		8 3
Rodrigo Palacio Rodrigo Palacio
Striker
Inter 		8 0
Eto'o Eto'o
Striker
Anzhi Makhachkala 		7 2
Edinson Cavani Edinson Cavani
Striker
Napoli 		7 2

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