Costa ends title dream for Wenger and Arsenal

DiegoCosta killed Arsene Wenger’s last hope of a glorious Arsenal farewellas his goal sent Atletico Madrid through to the Europa League final onThursday. Wenger’s 250th European fixture with Arsenal also to proved tobe his last, decided by a typically ruthless finish from Costa, whodelivered the sort of barnstorming display defenders must havenightmares about.Arsenal’s defence, fragile and nervous throughout,were particularly susceptible and this 1-0 defeat, 2-1 on aggregate,means Wenger’s final season in charge will end with his team missing outon Champions League qualification for a second year in a row.Forall his domestic achievements, Wenger will also depart without aEuropean trophy to his name and it remains to be seen how sittingoutside the continent’s premier tournament will affect Arsenal’s pursuitof a new coach, and players, this summer. “I’m very sad tonight,”Wenger said. “Unfortunately you have to go through that — the game canbe very cruel, sometimes very nice, but the suffering is very strongtonight.”More immediately, there was the concerning sight of LaurentKoscielny being carried off on a stretcher in the 12th minute after thedefender went down, with nobody near him, clutching his left Achilles.“It doesn’t look very good, it’s his Achilles,” Wenger said. “Youcan always hope for a miracle in the scan but if he has a rupturedAchilles, his chances for the World Cup are non-existent.” Koscielny’sexit made a tough task all the more difficult for Arsenal, who werealways going to be up against it at the Wanda Metropolitano, whereAtletico have not lost in the league all season and not conceded a goalsince January. It was perhaps also telling that Costa’s physicalityand Atletico’s defensive rigour ultimately proved decisive, twoqualities Wenger’s Arsenal have lacked. “Costa came back here for nightslike this,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “To be important, tolead from the front. This side needs an aggressive striker and that’sexactly what he is.”Costa was hunting Arsenal’s back four from theoutset as he wrestled past Koscielny, knocked over Nacho Monreal beforefiring wide with only David Ospina to beat. Koscielny was substitutedsoon after, replaced by Calum Chambers, but Arsenal enjoyed one of theirbest spells midway through the half, dominating possession and reducingAtletico to a series of rushed clearances.At the back, however,they were shaky, as Ospina had balls booted out of his grasp by histeammates on more than one occasion while their passing out of the backwas too often careless. By the end of the half, Atletico had regainedthe ascendancy and in injury-time, they struck. Granit Xhaka’s weakheader put Arsenal on the back foot and Antoine Griezmann threadedthrough to Costa. He held off Hector Bellerin with ease before coollyfinishing past Ospina. Arsenal came again after the interval.AaronRamsey bundled his way through but the ball would not fall for him sixyards out while Mesut Ozil flashed too sumptuous deliveries across theface of goal. Griezmann could have put the tie to bed after Costa hadturned Shkodran Mustafi inside out but the defender recovered just intime to block.A vintage Costa performance would not be completewithout a scuffle and he provided it when Mustafi tried tooenthusiastically to grab the ball off him for a free-kick. Both playerswere booked and when Costa was substituted soon after, the striker wasgiven a standing ovation. Arsenal piled forward late on in search of anequaliser but in truth, their night ended without them really creating aclear-cut chance. When the final whistle blew, Wenger marched straightdown the tunnel as around him, Atletico’s celebrations began.