Griezmann inspires Atletico to Europa League final win over Marseille

Atletico Madrid eased to a 3-0 victory over Marseille in Wednesday's Europa League final in Lyon.

Antoine Griezmann scored twice for Los Colchoneros - one preying on a defensive error 21 minutes into the showpiece, the other a deft chip over Steve Mandanda shortly after the break - while Marseille's explorations into Atleti's defensive third were all too rare.

Captain Gabi added a tidy finish with a minute left of normal time. It was the 34-year-old's first competitive goal since August 2015. The Spanish side's third strike came eight minutes after Kostas Mitroglou had a header denied by the woodwork.

There were two contrasting fortunes for French players in the fixture. While Griezmann continued his run of scoring in every round of this season's Europa League, Dimitri Payet's evening lasted just 32 minutes before he was withdrawn with an injury. No doubt with Thursday's expected announcement of France's World Cup squad at the forefront of his mind, the artful midfielder was in tears when he left the action.

Diego Simeone, who watched the match from the stands following disciplinary action from UEFA, won his first piece of silverware for Atleti in the Europa League in 2012. Six years later, the surviving members of the squad from that 3-0 defeat of Athletic Club were Gabi, Juanfran, Filipe Luis, Diego Godin, and Koke. The Simeone era is one of continuity.

Atleti had already confirmed qualification for the Champions League regardless of the Europa League triumph and rounds off its La Liga season when it entertains mid-table Eibar on Sunday. Marseille, meanwhile, will finish in the top four of Ligue 1 and concludes its own domestic term with Saturday's visit from Amiens.