Falcao joy after second successive Europa League triumph

May 9, 2012 10:25:00 PM

The Colombia international, who headed former club Porto to victory in last year's final in Ireland, proved just as influential in this season's tournament decider in Romania

Atletico Madrid's Radamel Falcao was a happy man after realising his pre-season target of winning the Europa League for a second successive season; the forward striking twice during his side's 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in Bucharest on Wednesday night.

Just a year after scoring the only goal of the 2011 final, the former Porto hitman bagged a first-half double to put the Rojiblancos in complete control of their clash with their Liga rivals, before Diego sealed victory for Diego Simeone's men with five minutes to go.

"When I arrived at Atletico I said that I wanted to come to Bucharest and win," Falcao is quoted as saying by Uefa.com. "Now I thank God for this gift for this team, for my team-mates and the coaching staff.

"I dedicate this first to God, then to my family in Colombia and also to the supporters of Atletico."

Falcao's double in Romania took his tally for the campaign to 12, thus ensuring that he finished as the tournament's top scorer for the second year in a row.

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