Spanish Primera Division side Atletico Madrid and Premier League club Fulham confront each other in the final of the Europa League on Wednesday night at the Hamburg Arena in Hamburg, Germany. This is the first ever final of the competition, which was re-branded at the end of last season when it was known as the UEFA Cup.
The Teams
Atletico Madrid had started the 2009-2010 campaign in the Champions League after finishing fourth in La Liga in 2008-2009. But they endured a miserable time in Europe’s most prestigious club competition, failing to win any game in the group stage, and suffering relegation to the Europa League, but only just.
Even in the Europa League, Atleti didn’t exactly do great as they got past stage after stage on away goals rule. Interestingly, Atletico have won just twice in the Europa League, against Galatasaray and Liverpool. However, there can no denial that the ‘other side’ from Madrid have deserved to reach the final of the second most prestigious club competition in the world.
Atletico defeated Valencia in the quarterfinals on away goals rule after drawing 2-2 with the Spanish giants at the Mestalla in the first leg and then surviving a 0-0 draw at the Vicente Calderon. In the semifinals the Mattress-Makers had to take on Premier League giants Liverpool and actually defeated them 1-0 at home in the first, thanks to a strike from Diego Forlan. In the second leg, Forlan struck again in extra-time and although Liverpool won 2-1 at Anfield, they went out on away goals rule.
On the other hand Fulham have progressed with perhaps more conviction in the Europa League. Manager Roy Hodgson took over relegation-battling side in 2007 but in under three years have made them Europa League contenders. The Cottagers progressed from the group stage from a group that had Roma, CSKA Sofia and Basel and in the knockout rounds defeated UEFA Cup holders Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus, Hamburg and Wolfsburg. Indeed, the fairytale win against Italian giants and former European Cup winners Juventus was probably the most romantic in the competition this campaign.
Fulham went down 3-1 in Turin in the first leg and indeed there was little reason for them to keep faith going into the return leg. But football is replete with miracles and one of them occurred at Craven Cottage when Fulham won 4-1, winning them 5-4 on aggregate.
Atletico Madrid are slight favourites going into the game. The last time they won anything of note was in 1996 when the Rojiblancos triumphed in the Spanish league and the Copa del Rey, while this is the first time ever that Fulham have a chance of winning anything in Europe.
The Players
Atleti have superior players such as Diego Forlan, Sergio Aguero, Jose Antonio Reyes and Simao but they are a disaster at the back. Moreover, the absense of a world class ball-playing central midfielder might deter Atleti.
In their ranks Fulham have Bobby Zamora, Danny Murphy, Damien Duff and Brede Hangeland. Under Hodgson the Cottagers are very organised and since they are being tagged as the underdogs as they have been in the earlier rounds of the competition, the London side would like to think that the lack of pressure is actually going to help them.
Likely Starting Lineup
Atletico Madrid (4-4-2):’’ De Gea; Ujfalusi, Perea, Dominguez, Lopez; Reyes, Assuncao, Garcia, Simao; Aguero, ForlanFulham (4-4-2): ‘‘Schwarzer; Baird, Hughes, Hangelaand, Konchesky; Duff, Etuhu, Murphy, Davies; Gera, Zamora
Prediction
Atletico Madrid will be slight favourites and will be inclined to believe that they can score more than Fulham on Wednesday night. However, the Cottagers are very organised and although they are prone to conceding too, they will be keen to take advantage of Atleti’s miserable backline. It promises to be an intriguing final and Atleti should edge out Fulham in the end.
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Fulham