Europa League Final preview: Fulham v Atlético Madrid
For Fulham, this evening is undoubtedly the biggest night of their 121-year history.
Over the decades Craven Cottage has played home to heroes including Ronnie Rooke, George Cohen and Johnny Haynes. How they would have all relished being part of tonight’s historic Europa League Final in Hamburg.
Tonight, the Cottagers will need to invoke the spirit of their legendary, iconic players to battle past Spain’s Atlético Madrid and proudly lift their first ever European trophy in front of their loyal supporters.
It’s a night for new heroes to be made. Each and every one of Fulham’s players will fully appreciate the significance of tonight’s final. They all know that a goal, a match-saving goal-line clearance or a penalty save will seal their place in the club’s folklore forever more.
After one of the most remarkable runs for an English side in any European competition, Fulham boss Roy Hodgson was rightfully awarded the Manager of the Year accolade for his spectacular feats in this competition at the LMA’s awards ceremony on Monday night.
Breathtaking comebacks have been the order of Fulham’s memorable campaign. From their 5-4 aggregate victory over Italian giants Juventus in the last 16, to their 2-1 home win over Hamburg in the semi-finals – it’s been a run which has captured the imagination of football fans across Europe.
Meanwhile, their opponents, Atlético, may well have the stronger team on paper; but they will have to work harder than at any other stage of the season to secure their second major European title.
With a multitude of stars in their ranks including Diego Forlán, José Reyes, Simão and Sergio Agüero – Atlético clearly have more than enough firepower to win this evening’s final.
However, they are braced to come up against an organised, disciplined and hard-working side with enough prowess in each of those areas to match any team in Europe.
And for all of Atlético’s high-profile players, it’s been far from a vintage season for Quique Sánchez Flores’ side. Despite reaching the showpiece final, the Primera Liga outfit have only won two of their Europa League matches this season. Instead of storming to the final, they’ve stumbled like a drunkard, slipped but never quite fallen on several occasions, and have somehow still found their way to Germany.
Having also reached the final of the Copa del Rey – again, somewhat fortuitously – Atleti are still in the hunt for an historic double. If they manage to do so, it will be a personal triumph for the less glamorous team from Madrid. It will also be especially satisfying for the club’s fans considering rivals Real Madrid could well end the season trophyless, despite spending an astronomical €250million last summer on new acquisitions.
But for Fulham, one-upmanship doesn’t remotely come into the equation. Hodgson and his valiant players will arrive at the HSH Nordbank Arena without fear and full of confidence, bidding to rewrite their own history over the course of just one solitary match.
It would be a fairytale ending to a magical campaign if Fulham were to win the inaugural Europa League trophy. They will arrive in Hamburg this evening with their favoured underdogs tag, knowing that a chance like this could well be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Rest assured, the impassioned Hodgson isn’t about to let this prestigious trophy slip through the net without putting up the fight to match all fights.
On paper, Atlético are stronger in almost every department. Fortunately for the Cottagers, football is more than just individual ability. It’s about determination, fighting-spirit, raw passion and committed teamwork: something which this courageous Fulham side possess in abundance.
Prediction: Fulham 2 Atlético Madrid 1 AET
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