Atletico Madrid profile: Which stars must Arsenal be wary of in bid for Europa League final

With Arsene Wenger announcing his decision to leave Arsenal at the end of the season, romantics would be forgiven for assuming the Gunners are now nailed on to win the Europa League.

Finishing off with a trophy would be the perfect way to end an unprecedented 22-year career at a club he revolutionised and showered with cups and league titles, particularly at the turn of the century.

But they aren’t the only ones with an era coming to an end; their Europa League semi-final opponents Atletico Madrid have a host of players in their squad for whom this trophy could be a chance to go out on a high too.

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It’s not just the likes of forwards Fernando Torres and Antoine Griezmann, who are both almost certainly leaving this summer, and also goalkeeper Jan Oblak who’s future is in doubt, but the rest of their starting XI are the wrong side of 30.

Star centre-back Diego Godin is 33, so is right-back Juanfran, midfielder and captain Gabi is a year older while currently injured left-back Filipe Luis is 32. They will all probably be seeing this as their final opportunity to win a trophy with Atletico.

And these are the names that should make any Arsenal fans convinced this is their year reconsider that stance. If anything, the Spaniards will be thinking the exact same.

Especially as their manager Diego Simeone could well be moving on this summer also, having been linked with Wenger’s freshly vacated seat, and endured a frustrating sequence of trophy near-misses in recent years. Unlike the Frenchman, though, he has lifted the league title in the last few years, shocking rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona to La Liga glory in 2014.

Former Liverpool and Chelsea man Torres will almost certainly make his final appearance on English soil if he does make it off the bench. His return to his boyhood club in 2015 hasn’t been the great rejuvenation he might have hoped and he will definitely leave the club he joined aged 11 again this summer, with the MLS or China expected to be his destination.

The 34-year-old could feature thanks to the lack of Diego Costa, due to a hamstring injury, but it’s most likely that Kevin Gameiro will partner star man Antoine Griezmann up front. The French striker is 27 and approaching his peak and after turning down some of Europe’s big names in recent years only to stay in Madrid and miss out on a string of trophies, that wait for a move could be over this summer.

Costa’s arrival helped free up space for Griezmann and he has been on an incredible run of 20 goals since the turn of the year; which coincided with the Spaniard’s move from Chelsea. Winning the Europa League would be a fitting way for Griezmann to sign off at Atletico.

He nearly joined Manchester United last summer but decided to stick it out in Madrid as a sign of respect after Atletico were prevented from recruiting a replacement by a Fifa transfer ban. However, with Barcelona apparently prepared to meet his €100m (£87m) buyout clause this summer he could finally be off.

Godin is likely to be a key man over the two legs, starting on Thursday with the first tie at the Emirates. For years now he has been the lynchpin of a defence that rarely concedes and is the catalyst for Atletico’s approach.

They are on a run of 11 consecutive clean sheets at home and haven’t conceded at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano since mid January.

The Uruguayan marshals that defence like a General does his troops but he too will be driven by the disappointment of reaching the Champions League Final in 2013-14 and 2015-16 but being defeated both times for rivals Real.

Then there’s Jan Oblak, the final line of defence if Arsenal do break though Atletico’s back five, which Simeone has hinted could become six to include a third centre-back as he looks to frustrate the Gunners in London during the first leg.

The 25-year-old Czech goalkeeper, one of the younger members of the team by comparison, has been a consistent performer for Simeone over the last few years but, like Griezmann, may well be leaving this summer with PSG sniffing around.

And the fact that Oblak publicly admitted he isn’t sure where his future lies this week suggests Atletico will need to search for a new keeper very soon, with Arsenal and Liverpool also reportedly interested, despite team-mate Koke urging Los Colchoneros to give the 25-year-old shot-stopper a “blank cheque” to keep him.

So, with both clubs facing high profile exits in the summer, either camp will be hoping it’s their year after plenty of disappointment in recent seasons, watching rivals celebrate in their faces. And if Atletico’s Golden Oldies perform, they could make it a miserable final few months at Arsenal for Wenger.