Atletico Madrid V Fulham Betting: Wednesday, 12th May – UEFA Europa League

Atletico Madrid V Fulham

Wednesday, 12th May – 19:45 (GMT)
Hamburg Arena, Germany
UEFA Europa League; Final

Atletico Madrid

While Atletico’s inclusion in Wednesday’s UEFA Europa League final will seem a surprise at first glance, they are a team with far more European pedigree than that of their opponents, Fulham, after reaching as far as the last-sixteen in last seasons UEFA Champions League competition, while Los Colchoneros entered into this seasons UEFA Europa League at the knock-out stage of the tournament, as a Champions League drop-out. Wednesday night will, however, be their first major European final since 1985, but will the club based in the Spanish capital prevail over the competitions dark horses?

It would be fair to say that Atletico Madrid have rode their luck in order to make the final, winning just twice in Europe all season. They’ve relied heavily upon their away inputs, their knack of scoring those vital away goals to get them through some awkward ties. Their very last encounter just about summed their Europa League campaign up perfectly; down 2-0 at Anfield and needing a goal in extra-time, so who pops up, none other than Diego Forlan with a proper poaches goal to take Atletico through via the away goal rule for the third successive time in the competition. Madrid have been one tricky opponent leaving the likes of Galatasaray, Sporting Lisbon, Valencia and Liverpool all in their wake as they seek out the UEFA Europa League trophy, thus becoming the first team to win the new UEFA second tier format.

Atletico manager, Quique Sanchez Flores, rested virtually the entire regular starting eleven for Saturday’s trip to Sporting Gijon in La Liga, with Jose Antonio Reyes the only attacking forward in the squad. Like Roy Hodgeson, Quique is well aware that any injuries to his key players and it could significantly reduce Madrids’s chances of success on Wednesday night. The fact his side, a starting eleven consisting mainly of fringe players, still managed to etch out a draw in Gijon is a mini achievement in itself and it ensures Atletico Madrid don’t go into the final with a defeat hanging over them.

Because of Madrid’s poor La Liga campaign; floundering in mid-table and needing to win Wednesday’s showdown in order to qualify for Europe next season, Quique Sanchez could afford to leave a whole host of big names out of the squad on Saturday. One of the younger managers in the Spanish La Liga, Quique can now welcome back genuine quality, players which won’t just make a difference on Wednesday, but individuals which know just what it takes to win the big games. Whilst receiving the weekend off will have helped his squad as a whole immensely with their conditioning. Diego Forlan, Sergio Aguero, Raul Garcia, Simao and even Reyes, who was an unused substitute at the weekend, will all return to the Atletico Madrid fray in time to make what they hope will be a winning push in the UEFA Europa League final against Fulham this Wednesday.

Fulham

Europe’s fairytale club, Fulham will be making just their first appearance in a European final when they make the trip to Germany from the English capital for the UEFA Europa League final clash with Atletico Madrid of Spain. However, while the talk of the town should be about all the excitement ahead of Wednesday’s enticing encounter, the locals in Fulham are instead having to spend the last few days building up to the final sweating after two of their key players remain major doubts ahead of little old Fulham making history on May 12th, 2010.

To our many English followers, the possible absence of both Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff will seem big but they know full well that this Fulham side have built a successful European campaign upon some steely team displays, and working extremely well as a unit. For others, though, to see two of Fulham’s high profile players deemed as serious doubts it will seem huge, and the fact is they are right. The prep talk now from commentators and pundits will be about the fantastic team atmosphere and chemistry at club, that togetherness and spirit within the camp which will ensure the Cottagers from London remain at least competitive in Germany. They are all great attributes to have, some you literally couldn’t do without, but they will only get you so far and were Fulham to line up in Germany without both Zamora and Duff, you would seriously have to have reservations over their chances against a full-strength Atletico Madrid.

On Sunday, the final game of the English Premiership season, Roy Hodgeson did the expected by resting a handful of first team players – 8 in all. The Cottagers secured their status in England’s top flight division months ago, so Hodgeson could afford to rotate his team with the UEFA Europa League in mind. However, has Hodgeson paid the price for his changes? Fulham were smashed 4-0 at The Emirates on Sunday by Arsenal in a game which was so one sided. Of course, it goes without saying that a full strength Fulham side would have provided Arsenal with more of a test but the fact remains, Fulham will now take a heavy loss into Wednesday’s fairytale encounter, with the consolation being a fitter and fresher Fulham side travelling over to Germany for the club’s biggest ever game, at least on a global scale.

So, betting wise, we feel Roy Hodgeson’s Cottagers are a dangerous proposition. No-one really knows whether Duff or Zamora will start on Wednesday, both of whom are pivotal to Fulham;s chances, while they’ve had this knack of winning their European ties the hard way. The several thousands travelling army of Fulham fans would ideally love a smooth ride in Germany, but there’s been nothing smooth about Fuham’s Europa League transition thus far and the signs are it’s going to get a whole lot nervier on Wednesday. We wish you all the best!

How they got to Germany…

Round of 32: Atletico Madrid 1-1 Galatasaray
Round of 32: Galatasaray 1-2 Atletico Madrid (Won 3-2 Agg)
Round of 16: Atletico Madrid 0-0 Sporting Lisbon
Round of 16: Sporting Lisbon 2-2 Atletico Madrid (Won via Away Goals)
Quarter-Final: Valencia 2-2 Atletico Madrid
Quarter-Final: Atletico Madrid 0-0 Valencia (Won via Away Goals)
Semi-Final: Atletico Madrid 1-0 Liverpool
Semi-Final: Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid (AET) (Won via Away Goals)

Round of 32: Fulham 2-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
Round of 32: Shakhtar Donetsk 1-1 Fulham (Won 3-2 Agg)
Round of 16: Juventus 3-1 Fulham
Round of 16: Fulham 4-1 Juventus (Won 5-4 Agg)
Quarter-Final: Fulham 2-1 Wolfsburg
Quarter-Final: Wolfsburg 0-1 Fulham (Won 3-1 Agg)
Semi-Final: Hamburg 0-0 Fulham
Semi-Final: Fulham 2-1 Hamburg (Won 2-1 Agg)

Team News

Antonio Lopez and Thomas Ujfalusi are Quique Flores’ only outfield concerns ahead of Wednesday’s encounter, as the pair are both carrying niggling knocks, but both are expected to start from the off against Fulham regardless. However, goalkeeper Sergio Asjeno will spend several months on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury on Saturday, although David De Gea was likely to start in goal anyhow.

The news that Fulham’s joint-leading goalscorer in Europe this season might not feature in Wednesday’s final has rocked the Fulham camp, as Bobby Zamora looks likely to miss the final in Germany through an achilles problem. Zamora has been wrapped up in cotton wool by Roy Hodgeson ever since the Fulham forward limped off against Hamburg at Craven Cottage around the hour mark. Zamora hasn’t played a competitive game since Fulham beat Hamburg 2-1 in London in a bid to preserve both his achilles and his fitness. Along with Zamora, Damien Duff remains a major doubt while the pair will both face late fitness tests ahead of the trip to Germany.

Match Verdict: Draw – 3.30 Bet365

What we have here is two sides who don’t half know how to ride their luck in Europe, with Atletico Madrid relying on some important away goals to get them into this German final and Fulham needing a couple of spirited fight backs. One thing’s for sure, Wednesday should be a thrilling encounter, a match which is finely balanced and quite literally could go either way. Were one side to take the lead in the Hamburg Arena, there’s no telling whether they’ll have the nerve and know-how to cling onto their advantage and repel and expected siege.

We will, however, sit on the fence and show our cowardly side. Neither of these two have much experience with European finals, so we’re expecting nerves to play their part on the night. A score draw is what we envisage, although, if we had to pick one or the other, Atletico Madrid would get the narrow nod simply because they have that little but more European gusto, that vital big match experience that just might see them clamber over the finishing line. If so, you would be a wise man to have a few quid on Diego Forlan being the instrumental party behind Atletico’s success.

Match Odds (90 Minutes)

Atletico Madrid – 2.25 BlueSquare
Draw – 3.30 Bet365
Fulham – 3.50 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Diego Forlan FGS – 6.00 WilliamHill