Lyon – Antoine Griezmann was the hero for Atletico Madrid as the French striker scored twice in their 3-0 win over Marseille in Wednesday’s Europa League final, allowing his club to win the trophy for the third time in nine seasons.

It is Griezmann’s first major title as an Atletico player, and a fitting way to bow out if he leaves at the season’s end, with Barcelona tipped as his next destination.

Griezmann – brought up in Macon, just 70 kilometres from Lyon – scored once in each half, his lethal finishes coming either side of Marseille losing Dimitri Payet to injury, the French side’s captain coming off in tears.

He now has 29 goals for the season, although it was Gabi’s late strike that put the seal on the victory.

Marseille had been desperate to win the second European trophy in their history, on French soil, 25 years after beating AC Milan in the inaugural Champions League final in Munich.

But it was a flat night for their huge support, who threatened to ruin the occasion by constantly lighting flares and setting off firecrackers at one end of the stadium, with some even being thrown onto the pitch towards the end.

The game carried on regardless, with Rudi Garcia’s side well beaten by Diego Simeone’s Atletico.

Their triumph comes after their agonising defeats to city rivals Real Madrid in the Champions League finals of 2014 and 2016. They had previously won the Europa League in 2010 and again in 2012, the latter coming just six months after Simeone’s appointment.

Simeone served a touchline ban here, meaning assistant German ‘Mono’ Burgos nominally took charge, but that did not perturb them on the field.

Having fallen into this competition by virtue of a shock group-stage exit from the Champions League, Atletico were the favourites against a Marseille side whose continental campaign had begun in the the third qualifying round last July.

Just being in this final, their 19th European game of the season, was an achievement for Garcia’s team. But they will look back on the evening with regrets.

After all, they had started well and had a great chance to open the scoring inside four minutes, Valere Germain shooting over from an excellent position after being slipped in by Payet.

It was the kind of chance that does not come up often against an Atletico side who had kept 33 clean sheets in all competitions this season before this game.

Having been on top, Marseille were then punished for sloppy defending as they fell behind in the 21st minute.

Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda opted to play a pass to Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, deep in midfield, rather than clear long. The Cameroonian’s attempt at a touch was awful, and Gabi pounced on the loose ball, sending Griezmann through to finish.

That subdued the massed ranks of Marseille fans, and things got worse for them when Payet, their captain and most influential player who had been struggling with a hamstring problem ahead of the game, came off crying just after the half-hour mark.

Marseilles needed to take the game to Atletico in the second half, but instead they conceded again just four minutes after the restart.

It was a glorious goal, Griezmann finding Koke and then latching onto the return ball as he stormed into the box before lifting a deft finish over Mandanda and in.

Substitute Kostas Mitroglou nearly set up a grandstand finale, his header coming off Jan Oblak’s post, before Gabi’s low drive in the 89th minute made it 3-0.

Huddersfield – Arsene Wenger admitted it was hard to keep his emotions in check as the Arsenal manager brought the curtain down on his 22-year reign with a 1-0 win at Huddersfield on Sunday.

After 7 895 days and 1 235 games, it was ‘au revoir’ to Wenger as the Frenchman took charge of Arsenal for the last time.

Wenger has been on a nostalgia-tinged long goodbye since Arsenal announced last month that his historic reign would come to an end once the season was over.

And the 68-year-old was overcome with emotion before and after Arsenal’s last game of the Premier League campaign.

“Of course it is very emotional after 1 235 games for the same club,” Wenger said.

“To enjoy it we had to win it, winning football games is what makes me happy and the boys did it.

“Do I feel relief? Not really, I’m sad. At some stage it has to end, I wish everyone well, the fans have been great until the end and I wish the club well for the future.”

Greeted by headlines asking ‘Arsene who?’ when he was hired in 1996, Wenger departs firmly established as Arsenal’s greatest manager.

He won three Premier League titles, including the famous 2003/04 unbeaten season, and seven FA Cups, while revolutionising English football with his ground-breaking use of sports science and scouting of players from previously untapped markets like Africa.

Fittingly, it was a 38th minute goal from Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – the last major signing of the Wenger era – that ensured his manager went out on an uplifting note.

“I believe I had an impact on the club as a whole because the club is in a strong position, it has a new stadium, a new training ground and new players,” Wenger said.

“With the results we won three Premier League titles, played 49 games unbeaten and I’m very proud to have won seven FA Cups too.”

Having spent the last two seasons enduring abuse from Arsenal fans frustrated by their club’s failure to win the title since 2004, Wenger’s farewell tour has been played out to a soundtrack of praise.

Wenger was given a guard of honour before kick-off at the John Smith’s Stadium and the feelgood atmosphere peaked in the 22nd minute — marking his number of years in charge – when he was afforded a lengthy period of applause from the entire stadium.

Two planes flew over the stadium, carrying messages reading; “Merci Arsene, we will miss you too” and “One Arsene Wenger”.

But for all the stirring goodbyes and Wenger’s hints that he wanted to stay on for another year, Arsenal’s struggles this season sealed his fate as they missed out on a place in the Champions League for a second successive campaign.

A sixth place finish – 37 points behind champions Manchester City – was a reminder how far Arsenal’s standards had slipped in Wenger’s final years.

Yet the fine form of Aubameyang since his January arrival encouraged Wenger to claim he has left Arsenal in good hands.

“I see a bright future for my successor because the team has a good attitude and quality,” he said.

“The team needs some additions and if they get them I think they will compete for the Premier League title.”

Whether Wenger will return to management elsewhere or settle for a director of football role with one of Europe’s superpowers remains to be seen.

“I will stay in football for sure. Whether that is managing or not… I am addicted and I don’t think that can be cured,” he said.

“It will be hard to adjust of course but I will have to deal with that. I will remain an Arsenal fan above everything else.”

His Gunners journey almost at an end, Wenger returned to the pitch long after the final whistle and sought out the last remaining Arsenal fans.

Handing one supporter his tie, Wenger basked in the warm glow of their applause for a few moments before disappearing into the sunlit evening.

Cape Town – Roodepoort Rugby Club has released a statement regarding the alleged racist attack involving their players in a club match against Wanderers last month.

The incident occurred during an under-21 match between the two Johannesburg clubs on Wednesday, April 25.

READ: Wanderers Rugby Club responds to alleged K-word slurs

Wanderers released a statement claiming that racial and verbal abuse was directed towards their players by Roodepoort spectators and players.

Wanderers also claimed that Roodepoort players used the K-word towards black players in their team.

The matter is currently being investigated by the Golden Lions Rugby Union’s disciplinary committee, but Roodepoort released a statement of their own on Friday.

Roodepoort said they conducted an internal investigation which could not verify any of the claims made by Wanderers.

The club added that they would wait on the outcome of the disciplinary hearing before making further comment.

The statement released by Roodepoort read:

Roodepoort Rugby Club (RRC) has completed an internal investigation regarding the incident that took place on Wednesday 25 April 2018 during the match between RRC U21 and Wanderers U21.

The club has conducted a preliminary investigation internally and have not been able to verify the claims made by Wanderers.

Wanderers have also not been able to supply us with any evidence to prove their statements. As it stands it is all conjecture and hearsay until all claims that have been made are proven or disproved by the current investigation of the Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU) Disciplinary Committee.

We have been informed by the GLRU that the committee has started its work and will be calling witnesses in the next few weeks. As previously stated we are taking our lead from the GLRU and would appreciate it if a more balanced statement or article could be published indicating that it is all hearsay and that as yet no evidence of wrongdoing by Roodepoort players has been proven.

The management team at Roodepoort Rugby Club await the outcome of the GLRU Disciplinary Committee and will abide by the Committee’s ruling.

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