Former Chelsea striker Diego Costa returned to the Atletico side to haunt the Gunners again and it was his composed chip on the brink of half-time which ended Arsenal’s European hopes.
Manager Arsene Wenger will not be given a last chance to lift silverware with Arsenal after they were beaten 2-1 on aggregate by Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-final.
Antoine Griezmann slipped the crucial pass through to Costa after coming close with a powerful strike from a tight angle.
Arsenal were crestfallen going into the break but almost responded within minutes of the restart when Aaron Ramsey found himself through on goal. His touch lets him down and the chance was wasted – as were a number of opportunities for the visitors throughout the second half.
Two-time champions Atletico will now face RB Salzburg or Marseille in their third Europa League final in eight years in Lyon on 16 May.
Defeat for Arsenal means they will miss out on Champions League football for the second straight season.
Wenger, who will leave the Gunners at the end of the season after 22 years in charge, has never won a European trophy with the club.
Source: BBC News
