Europa League final preview: Atlético Madrid v Athletic Bilbao

Europa League trophy

It’s an all-Spanish Europa League final with a distinctly South American flavour as the Argentinian coaches of Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao battle it out in Bucharest for European glory.

Both Diego Simeone and Marcelo Bielsa have made a major impact in their debut campaigns with Atlético and Bilbao, respectively, and are now 90 minutes away from joining the coveted list of Europa League-winning coaches.

It’s not just a case of a shared nationality which unites the two managers, either. During Bielsa’s six-year stint in charge of the Argentina national team between 1998 and 2004, Simeone earned 30 international caps, and the two continue to have a great mutual respect for each other.

So much so, in fact, that Simeone warmly refers to Bielsa as ‘El Profe’ (the professor), while the meticulous and studious former Argentina coach is more commonly known – again, affectionately - as ‘El Loco’ (the madman) back in his homeland.

“We get to meet up again with Marcelo, with ‘El Profe’,” Simeone told reporters. “We have a great affection for each other. It will be a nice final between friends but reaching the final was only the first objective. We want to win.”

So, the big question is can the pupil outwit his former tutor, one of the most tactically-astute and experienced coaches in world football?

Well, the fact that Simeone has the prolific Radamel Falcao in his ranks promises to help his bid. Adding to the South American theme is the lethal Colombia striker, who will become the first player to earn the Europa League top scorer award in consecutive seasons if he finds the net against Bilbao.

Falcao scored and was named man of the match at the end of last year’s all-Portuguese final between FC Porto and Braga, and the 26-year-old hopes to replicate the feat in the colours of Atlético and pay back another chunk of the £36 million that the Spanish side splashed out for his undoubted talent last summer.

Given his record-breaking exploits in the competition over the past 18 months, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to suggest that Falcao is one of the significant reasons why Atlético head into the final at the glorious 55,600-capacity National Arena in Bucharest as the narrow favourites.

Falcao’s presence, combined with the fact that Los Colchoneros have won their last 11 Europa League matches under the promising Simeone, means that they can be backed at odds of 1.89 to lift the trophy for the second time in three seasons.

Bilbao, meanwhile, can be caught at slightly more generous odds of 2.1 to win their first ever European title. There’s no doubt that Bielsa is already a firm fan favourite at the San Mamés after leading the club to a thoroughly memorable campaign, which could end in Europa League and Copa del Rey success, but winning either would cement his place in Athletic Bilbao folklore.

Up against the formidable Barcelona in the final of the latter, later this month, it would appear that their most realistic chance of adding silverware to the trophy cabinet is by securing victory this Wednesday evening.

Based on the two previous meetings between the two clubs this season, it’s clear that the result could go either way, but the pupil did manage to get one over the teacher when they went head-to-head for the first time in the Primera Liga back in March.

Gregorio Manzano was in charge of Atlético when Bielsa led Bilbao to a 3-0 victory at San Mamés last October, but Simeone cast aside personal friendship and admiration to beat Bielsa at the Vicente Calderón less than two months ago.

Unsurprisingly, Falcao netted both Atlético goals in the 2-1 win, with Javi Martinez grabbing a consolation for the visitors who have lit up the Europa League this season.

Two stunning wins over last season’s Champions League finalists Manchester United in the Round of 16 - with memorable performances from the likes of Fernando Llorente, Iker Muniain and the aforementioned Martínez –were followed up by similarly impressive displays Schalke and Sporting Lisbon in the quarter-finals and the semis.

Certainly, they won a host of new admirers for their hugely watchable style of football, which also subsequently led to Bielsa being linked to jobs at Barcelona and Chelsea.

Fortunately for the Basque club, both of those positions now look at have been filled, ensuring that they can go out and lift their first ever European title without fear of their respected coach being poached.

Soon enough, Simeone will be attractive similar levels of attention from Europe’s most revered clubs – particularly if he manages to outwit Bielsa for the second time in seven weeks – but his managerial reputation has already been boosted regardless of what happens in Romania.

Of course, that won’t diminish his ambition to lift the trophy, but on this occasion it could well be the old professor who puts the student – temporarily – back in his place.

Prediction: Atlético Madrid 1 Athletic Bilbao 2

Rob Swan - follow me on Twitter

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