4 Atletico Madrid Players Who Could Cause Arsenal Big Problems In The Europa League

4 Atletico Madrid Players Who Could Cause Arsenal Big Problems In The Europa League
19:52, 25 Apr 2018

Arsenal face undoubtedly their toughest test of their Europa League campaign so far on Thursday. To progress into the final, they must overcome Atletico Madrid: regulars in the latter stages of the Champions League in recent years and a side who play in a manner likely to be anathema to Arsene Wenger’s aesthetic but flimsy team.

The Gunners might have been buoyed by Atletico’s most recent La Liga results – they were beaten 3-0 by Real Sociedad and held to a goalless draw by Real Betis – but they remain the underdogs ahead of their semi-final meeting.

Arsenal will be keenly aware of the threat posed by Atletico. They boast a team filled with individual talent – albeit within a rigid and organised structure – and are capable, if given an opportunity, to inflict severe damage on their opposition.

Here are four players who could hurt Arsenal over the course of their Europa League semi-final.

Antoine Griezmann

Antoine Griezmann has been Atletico’s top scorer in each of the last three seasons and he will be again come the end of this campaign. The Frenchman began slowly but has now found the net 26 times in all competitions and is likely to pose his side’s biggest threat against Arsenal.

There is an expectation that Griezmann will leave Atletico in the summer. He has been linked strongly with Barcelona and Catalonia, it seems, will be his most likely destination should he depart.

Griezmann, then, will want to end on a high. Success in the Europa League would provide exactly that. “We have to give him our all as a team and give him the motivation he needs so that when it's time for a decision, he opts to stay with us," said Simeone earlier this month. There is little doubt that Griezmann will be the focal point of his side’s attacks on Thursday: since the turn of the year he has scored an impressive 19 goals.

Diego Costa

Arsenal will need no reminder of the damage that can be inflicted by Diego Costa. Nor will anyone associated with the club be looking forward to reacquainting themselves with the confrontational former Chelsea forward.

He has been included in the squad for the first leg – although he is unlikely to start – and will be fully fit for the second leg in Madrid. That, at least, will provide some relief for Arsenal’s defenders.

They will have vivid memories of Costa, cantankerous and abrasive, engaging unflinchingly in physical battles at both Stamford Bridge and the Emirates. There is no love lost, and Costa will be aware of that. Since his return to Atletico in January, his disruptive presence has helped Griezmann thrive. Against Arsenal, should he play, there will be hopes of that continuing.

Koke

"It is normal that we are seen as favourites, with all we have done in Europe these years," said Koke after Atletico beat Sporting CP in the quarter-final of the Europa League final.

If they are to live up to that tag, Koke will have been an important figure. The 26-year-old is dependable and often unspectacular, but he provides an important element of creativity from a midfield that prioritises structure.

Koke has generally played on the left of Simeone’s midfield four, where he performs consistently both defensively and offensively. Arsenal will need to be wary of his forays inside, and his ability to pick out a teammate in the final third.

Angel Correa

Though he remains a nascent talent and still occasionally makes poor decisions, Angel Correa has largely impressed in the Europa League this season.

He was his side’s top performer in the last 16 victory over Lokomotiv Moscow and, in recent weeks, has excelled on the right of midfield.

Correa has three assists in six Europa League appearances, so Arsenal will need to be cautious of his threat from wide areas. The Argentine is the most offensive of Atletico’s midfield four and provides a natural width that might otherwise be absent.

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