BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Radamel Falcao’s decision to move to Atletico Madrid from Porto raised plenty of eyebrows at the time but he left his critics eating their words after another Europa League winning performance on Wednesday.

Having scored 17 goals for Porto in the competition last season, the Colombian had been expected to step up to the Champions League this term either with the Portuguese club themselves or by moving to a bigger team.

Instead, he went to Atletico Madrid and back into the Europa League, the region’s much-maligned second tier competition.

The 26-year-old had the last laugh on Wednesday as his two goals in the final steered Atletico to an emphatic 3-0 win over fellow La Liga side Athletic Bilbao.

He also finished as topscorer for the second successive season, this time with 12 goals.

“When I came to Atletico, a lot of people said it was a mistake, this is the best way to show they were wrong,” he told reporters, clutching the trophy.

Falcao has made a habit of making the right moves off the field as well as on it.

BUCHAREST, May 9 (Reuters) – Radamel Falcao’s decision to move to Atletico Madrid from Porto raised plenty of eyebrows at the time but he left his critics eating their words after another Europa League winning performance on Wednesday.

Having scored 17 goals for Porto in the competition last season, the Colombian had been expected to step up to the Champions League this term either with the Portuguese club themselves or by moving to a bigger team.

Instead, he went to Atletico Madrid and back into the Europa League, the region’s much-maligned second tier competition.

The 26-year-old had the last laugh on Wednesday as his two goals in the final steered Atletico to an emphatic 3-0 win over fellow La Liga side Athletic Bilbao.

He also finished as topscorer for the second successive season, this time with 12 goals.

“When I came to Atletico, a lot of people said it was a mistake, this is the best way to show they were wrong,” he told reporters, clutching the trophy.

Falcao has made a habit of making the right moves off the field as well as on it.

BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Diego Simeone, unshaven and dressed all in black, cuts a menacing figure on the touchline and his Atletico Madrid team are a reflection of a man who as a player mixed his ruthless streak with guile and skill.

Athletic Bilbao’s Marcelo Biesla, in a baggy track suit, wearing glasses with strings attached, is a deep-thinking, philosophical coach who believes the only way to win is to take the game to the opposition whatever the circumstances.

On Wednesday, Simeone’s more rugged style came up trumps against his idealistic fellow Argentine and former mentor when Atletico trounced Bilbao 3-0 in the Europa League final.

Bielsa has been lauded for the way he has transformed the previously physical Bilbao into one of Spain’s best passing teams, despite being limited by the club’s Basque-only policy.

The eccentric Bielsa, who coached Simeone for four years with Argentina, has taken Bilbao to their first European final in 35 years and led them to the Copa del Rey final, where they face Barcelona on May 25, in his first season in charge.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola is among the admirers of Bielsa’s style which dictates that his team play a high-tempo passing game and pressure the opposition in their own half.

However, that adventurous approach can also leave his sides badly exposed as Chile fans found out during three heavy losses to Brazil and a 3-0 home defeat by Paraguay under Bielsa’s leadership, all in competitive internationals.

BUCHAREST, May 9 (Reuters) – Diego Simeone, unshaven and dressed all in black, cuts a menacing figure on the touchline and his Atletico Madrid team are a reflection of a man who as a player mixed his ruthless streak with guile and skill.

Athletic Bilbao’s Marcelo Biesla, in a baggy track suit, wearing glasses with strings attached, is a deep-thinking, philosophical coach who believes the only way to win is to take the game to the opposition whatever the circumstances.

On Wednesday, Simeone’s more rugged style came up trumps against his idealistic fellow Argentine and former mentor when Atletico trounced Bilbao 3-0 in the Europa League final.

Bielsa has been lauded for the way he has transformed the previously physical Bilbao into one of Spain’s best passing teams, despite being limited by the club’s Basque-only policy.

The eccentric Bielsa, who coached Simeone for four years with Argentina, has taken Bilbao to their first European final in 35 years and led them to the Copa del Rey final, where they face Barcelona on May 25, in his first season in charge.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola is among the admirers of Bielsa’s style which dictates that his team play a high-tempo passing game and pressure the opposition in their own half.

However, that adventurous approach can also leave his sides badly exposed as Chile fans found out during three heavy losses to Brazil and a 3-0 home defeat by Paraguay under Bielsa’s leadership, all in competitive internationals.

BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao scored two superb goals and Diego added a late third to seal a commanding 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the all-Spanish Europa League final on Wednesday.

Colombian Falcao, who tormented the Bilbao defence all night, was top scorer in the competition with 12 goals after his first half double. He also hit the post after the break as Atletico won the trophy for the second time in three seasons.

Diego, who left VfL Wolfsburg last season after falling out with coach Felix Magath, added the third in the 83rd minute.

Last season, Falcao scored the winner for Porto in the final against Braga and finished with a tally of 17 goals.

“I am grateful for this moment that few players have the chance to experience, grateful to all the team, my colleagues, the coaching staff,” Falcao told Spanish TV.

Wednesday’s contest was a duel between two Argentine coaches, Atletico’s Diego Simeone and Bilbao’s Marcelo Bielsa. Simeone played under Bielsa for several years with Argentina.

NERVOUS START

BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao scored two superb goals and Diego added a late third to seal a commanding 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the all-Spanish Europa League final on Wednesday.

Colombian Falcao, who tormented the Bilbao defence all night, was top scorer in the competition with 12 goals after his first half double. He also hit the post after the break as Atletico won the trophy for the second time in three seasons.

Diego, who left VfL Wolfsburg last season after falling out with coach Felix Magath, added the third in the 83rd minute.

Last season, Falcao scored the winner for Porto in the final against Braga and finished with a tally of 17 goals.

“I am grateful for this moment that few players have the chance to experience, grateful to all the team, my colleagues, the coaching staff,” Falcao told Spanish TV.

Wednesday’s contest was a duel between two Argentine coaches, Atletico’s Diego Simeone and Bilbao’s Marcelo Bielsa. Simeone played under Bielsa for several years with Argentina.

NERVOUS START

BUCHAREST, May 9 (Reuters) – Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao scored two superb goals and Diego added a late third to seal a commanding 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the all-Spanish Europa League final on Wednesday.

Colombian Falcao, who tormented the Bilbao defence all night, was top scorer in the competition with 12 goals after his first half double. He also hit the post after the break as Atletico won the trophy for the second time in three seasons.

Diego, who left VfL Wolfsburg last season after falling out with coach Felix Magath, added the third in the 83rd minute.

Last season, Falcao scored the winner for Porto in the final against Braga and finished with a tally of 17 goals.

“I am grateful for this moment that few players have the chance to experience, grateful to all the team, my colleagues, the coaching staff,” Falcao told Spanish TV.

Wednesday’s contest was a duel between two Argentine coaches, Atletico’s Diego Simeone and Bilbao’s Marcelo Bielsa. Simeone played under Bielsa for several years with Argentina.

NERVOUS START

BUCHAREST, May 8 (Reuters) – Athletic Bilbao’s success in reaching the Europa League and Copa del Rey finals this season is down to the youth team coaches who cultivated the players in the current side, according to coach Marcelo Bielsa.

Unusually in Europe, Bilbao, who face Atletico Madrid in Wednesday’s Europa League final, shun expensive signings and field only players with connections to the Basque region, raising most of their own talent.

Bielsa, who took over at the start of this season, revamped the team and replaced their traditional physical style with an adventurous passing game, has earned praise for leading them to their first European final for 35 years.

However, the former Argentina and Chile coach, whose side upset Manchester United and Schalke 04 on the way, preferred to pass it on to the club’s youth team coaches.

“In institutions such as Athletic, what happens in the present is always articulated and connected to what happened before, because it’s an organisation which feeds off itself, which generates in its formative divisions the players who will compete and represent it in the years to come,” he said.

“Obviously, whoever has taken on and developed this task in the last decade has done the job very well.

“It’s up to us in this case to make use of what they have produced, this team is a young generation with a very high percentage produced in the same institution.”

BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Romanian football, beset by eccentric club presidents, crowd violence and financial difficulties, will enjoy a brief respite from its unhappy routine when it stages the Europa League final on Wednesday.

Bucharest’s National Stadium, impressively rebuilt with facilities which put it on par with Europe’s top stadiums, will host Spanish rivals Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid as they battle to win Europe’s secondary club competition.

It will be welcome spotlight for Romanian football which has otherwise endured a miserable season with the national team failing to qualify for Euro 2012 and Otelul Galati out of their depth in the Champions League as they lost all six group games.

The country may not have a team at all in the Champions League group stage next season, having lost its right to an automatic place due to previous poor performances.

Romania’s hopes that one of their clubs would reach the Europa League final also ended early with Steaua Bucharest, their last remaining representatives, losing to Twente Enschede in the round of 32.

The problems were even worse domestically.

Across the country, grounds are outdated, crowds sparse and the world players’ union FIFPro says most clubs struggle to pay salaries.

BUCHAREST, May 8 (Reuters) – Romanian football, beset by eccentric club presidents, crowd violence and financial difficulties, will enjoy a brief respite from its unhappy routine when it stages the Europa League final on Wednesday.

Bucharest’s National Stadium, impressively rebuilt with facilities which put it on par with Europe’s top stadiums, will host Spanish rivals Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid as they battle to win Europe’s secondary club competition.

It will be welcome spotlight for Romanian football which has otherwise endured a miserable season with the national team failing to qualify for Euro 2012 and Otelul Galati out of their depth in the Champions League as they lost all six group games.

The country may not have a team at all in the Champions League group stage next season, having lost its right to an automatic place due to previous poor performances.

Romania’s hopes that one of their clubs would reach the Europa League final also ended early with Steaua Bucharest, their last remaining representatives, losing to Twente Enschede in the round of 32.

The problems were even worse domestically.

Across the country, grounds are outdated, crowds sparse and the world players’ union FIFPro says most clubs struggle to pay salaries.