Atletico Madrid Advances to Europa League Final
The 1-0 victory against Arsenal in the Europa League semifinals on Thursday propelled Atletico Madrid to their eleventh final in continental competition since winning the 1962 Recopa against Fiorentina. Their next match will take place on May 16th in Lyon. This achievement comes after three lost Champions League finals.
Their most recent loss dates back to May 28, 2016 at San Siro stadium in Milan. The match ended in a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes and extra time, and Real Madrid won in a penalty shootout, denying Atletico the Champions League title. This was the second time Atletico Madrid lost the final to Real Madrid, the first one being in Lisbon two years earlier.
The Champions League, or the European Cup, is the only trophy missing from Atletico Madrid's collection. They came close to winning it in 1974 against Bayern Munich in Brussels, when they took the lead in the 114th minute with a direct free kick from Luis Aragones, but ultimately lost in extra time. However, Atletico has a successful history in other European competitions such as the Europa League (formerly UEFA Cup), which they won in 2010 and 2012, and the Super Cup, which they won in the same years. They also won the defunct Recopa in 1962 against Fiorentina in a replay.