La final de la UEFA Europa League 2018 fue el partido final de la UEFA Europa League 2017-18 , la 47.ª temporada del torneo secundario de clubes de fútbol de Europa organizado por la UEFA y la 9.ª temporada desde que pasó de llamarse Copa de la UEFA a UEFA Europa League . Se jugó en el Parc Olympique Lyonnais en Décines-Charpieu , Lyon , Francia el 16 de mayo de 2018, [5] entre el equipo francés Marsella y el equipo español Atlético de Madrid . [6] [7]
El Atlético de Madrid ganó el partido 3-0 para su tercer título de la Europa League. [8] Como ganador, el Atlético de Madrid se ganó el derecho a jugar contra el ganador de la UEFA Champions League 2017-18 , el Real Madrid , en la Supercopa de la UEFA 2018. También se clasificaron para ingresar a la fase de grupos de la UEFA Champions League 2018-19 , [9] pero como ya se clasificaron a través de su desempeño en la liga, el lugar reservado se le dio al equipo tercero en la Ligue 1 2017-18 , Lyon , ya que la Ligue 1 era la quinta asociación clasificada según la lista de acceso de la próxima temporada. [10]
El Parc Olympique Lyonnais fue anunciado como sede final el 9 de diciembre de 2016, tras la decisión de la reunión del Comité Ejecutivo de la UEFA en Nyon , Suiza. [5]
Marseille reached their third final after a 3–2 aggregate win against Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg, clinched after extra time. They lost the final in both previous occasions (1999 and 2004). This was also their fifth final in all seasonal UEFA competitions, having also played in two European Cup/Champions League finals (winning in 1993; and losing in 1991).
Atlético Madrid also reached their third final after a 2–1 aggregate win against English side Arsenal. They won the final in both previous occasions (2010 and 2012). This was also their ninth final in UEFA seasonal competitions, having played in three European Cup/Champions League finals (losing in 1974, 2014 and 2016) and three Cup Winners' Cup final (winning in 1962; and losing in 1963 and 1986).
The two teams had played each other twice in the Champions League. Atlético Madrid won the first match, while the second was drawn in the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League group stage.
In the following table, finals until 2009 were in the UEFA Cup era, since 2010 were in the UEFA Europa League era.
Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).
The ambassador for the final was former French international Eric Abidal, who played three seasons at Lyon and later won two UEFA Champions League titles with Barcelona.
With a stadium capacity of 57,000 for the final, a total amount of 23,000 tickets were available to fans and the general public, with the two finalist teams receiving tickets (number to be confirmed) each and with the other tickets being available for sale to fans worldwide via UEFA.com from 15 to 22 March 2018 in four price categories: €150, €100, €70, and €45. The remaining tickets were allocated to the local organising committee, UEFA and national associations, commercial partners and broadcasters, and to serve the corporate hospitality programme.[11][12]
On 7 May 2018, UEFA announced that Dutchman Björn Kuipers would officiate the final. It was the second time he was appointed for a UEFA Europa League final, as he had already been the referee in the 2013 final. He was also the referee for the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final, which Atlético lost to Real Madrid in extra time. He was joined by his fellow countrymen, with Sander van Roekel and Erwin Zeinstra as assistant referees, Danny Makkelie and Pol van Boekel as additional assistant referees, and Mario Diks as reserve assistant referee. The fourth official for the final was Szymon Marciniak from Poland.[2]
French DJ duo Ofenbach performed at the opening ceremony preceding the final.[13]
In the 21st minute, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa miss-controlled a pass out from goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, the ball came to Gabi who passed into Antoine Griezmann who scored with a low shot into the bottom left corner. Marseille captain Dimitri Payet left the match due to injury in the 32nd minute. It was 2–0 in the 49th minute when Antoine Griezmann dinked the ball past the advancing Steve Mandanda and into the bottom left from inside the penalty area after a pass from Koke.[14] Gabi got the third goal in the 89th minute with a low right foot finish from the right after another pass from Koke.[15]
The "home" team (for administrative purposes) was determined by an additional draw held after the semi-final draw, which was held on 13 April 2018, 12:00 CEST, at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.[16]