UEFA Europa League 2009/10

[DeLorean]

Interesting enough. Benfica will have no fears of Merseyside after their demolition of Everton in the group stages. They also knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League fairly comfortably a few years back. Fulham will feel they have a reasonable chance but I have a feeling they're going to come unstuck this time. The Spanish clash should be a craker and will make for a very tough semi final for Liverpool, should they go through. Hamburg have a great chance of making their dream final now but they'll remember losing the German derby in the semi last year.

[Closed Account 2]

If Atletico could ever sort their defence out they would have a real chance of pushing Barca and Real in the league. They've 2 decent keepers (Asenjo and De Gea) and talent upfront (Reyes, Simao, Aguerro, Forlan, Jurado) - Aguerro's second goal last night was a gem, in some ways better than Messi's the night before.

[DaveyCakes]

Anyonbe else get tickets for the final? I got 2 €85 ones

[Stevo Da Gull]

No tickets for me, have a great time though!

Another entertaining night of football in the Europa. I watched the Valencia-Atletico match, a 2-2 draw at the Mestalla. I also saw Agger's goal in Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Benfica in Lisbon, absolutely loved it! I'm a big fan of Agger's, though I wouldn't have considered cheeky flicks into the opposition net as one of his main qualities :)

[old git]

No tickets for me, have a great time though!

Another entertaining night of football in the Europa. I watched the Valencia-Atletico match, a 2-2 draw at the Mestalla. I also saw Agger's goal in Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Benfica in Lisbon, absolutely loved it! I'm a big fan of Agger's, though I wouldn't have considered cheeky flicks into the opposition net as one of his main qualities :)

not much of an agger fan if you watched valencia - athletico then :D

[old git]

not the worst result for liverpool, should be beating them at home now. pity fulham conceded in the last minute, 2-0 would have been a great result for them to take to germany. can see them getting knocked out now.

would fancy benfica to cause liverpool a few problems at home they looked to have some nice players .. but if liverpool can close them down and create chances for torres would fancy them to just scrape through.. did anybody else think 3e commentary tonight totally biased to liverpool every free benfica gave away they commented on why player not booked and for second penalty even had the neck to say it was a dodgy decision against carragher .. just thought their comments ruined a half decent game to watch

[Stevo Da Gull]

not much of an agger fan if you watched valencia - athletico then :D

I like the guy, but I don't love him ;) I figured the Valencia-Atletico would be the most entertaining.. and I'm going to see Atletico play this weekend :D

All of the Europa ties are very nicely poised. Could be dramatic 2nd legs in all of them.

[Boo_Boy]

Anyonbe else get tickets for the final? I got 2 €85 ones

I've got 2 tickets on offer to me. Going to wait to see if Hamburg reach the final before I take them :).

[osarusan]

did anybody else think 3e commentary tonight totally biased to liverpool
Was it commentary with Graham Taylor? The same as on UK station 5?

They were terribly biased alright. It almost killed them to admit the second one was a penalty.

[old git]

Was it commentary with Graham Taylor? The same as on UK station 5?

They were terribly biased alright. It almost killed them to admit the second one was a penalty.

think it was mark wright as other commentator kept saying as an ex liverpool centre half
and he really got carried away when torres had great chance near end he was half celebrating a goal when chance arrived with torres, took him about 10-15 mins after 2nd penalty and numerous replays to to nearly admit it was a penalty

[Boo_Boy]

Semis now confirmed:

Fulham v Hamburg
Liverpool v Atletico Madrid

C'mon Hamburg, 2 games away from a home final!

[OwlsFan]

C'mon Hamburg, 2 games away from a home final!

You like all the Union Jacks they fly at their home games?

I thought the British commentator was very condescending to Fulham. Little Fulham in the mighty Europa Cup semi-final. What's so surprising about that as they are a mid table Premiership team (supposedly the strongest league in the world). It might be a surprise that they are doing well in the EPL but since they are, it shouldn't be a surprise to see them in the Europa League semi.

I flicked between the two games and gave up at half time. Nothing to get the pulse racing so I went to bed with the wife. Same result :)

[Roadend]

I flicked between the two games and gave up at half time. Nothing to get the pulse racing so I went to bed with the wife. Same result :)

So you went to bed with the wife and flicked between the two.........

[Boo_Boy]

You like all the Union Jacks they fly at their home games?

That's the Rangers - HSV Supporters Club flags, both fans are close.

[Closed Account 2]

I used to work with a German from Hamburg, who said that few in the actual city of Hamburg actually support the team, the fans come mainly from the outlying villages and small towns in the countryside of Niedersachsen and Holstein. It does seem bizzare that there are so many Union Jacks there, and I was very surprised to see the blue/white/red RAF circle thing on one of the flags given the RAF (and to a lesser extent USAAF) killed 50,000 and pretty much wiped the city out in July 1943, maybe the countryside villages (where most of the fans apparently come from) were unaffected.

Either way I think Atletico will probably win the competition.

[DeLorean]

Yeah if Atletico can score at Anfield it's difficult to see Liverpool scoring 3 times without Torres. Really good result for Fulham last night, there seemed to be little or no chances in the game judging by the quick highlight reel on 3e. Phil Babb was almost making out that it was a poor result for them because they didn't score an away goal, another example of how commentators are obsessed with it, like I think OwlsFan was saying at one point. Obviously I'm not discarding the possibility of them going out on away goals but they're in a great position as it stands- win at home and you're through. They've beaten Shakhtar, Juventus and Wolfsburg at Craven Cottage, not to mention Man Utd and Liverpool, so I'm sure they'll fancy it.

[DeLorean]

Congratulations to Fulham. What an achievement, not so much getting to the Final of the competition but the manner in which they've got there. Down 1-0 last night needing to score twice and their main goalscorer gone off. I think they are better off with Atletico in the Final as well psychologically. Although they have won and drawn against Liverpool already this season I just felt that in a big European Final, Liverpool would have too much for them. Atletico are just another team in a long list of European teams they have overcome already and aren't exactly flooded in European success themselves. I'd imagine Atletico will be strong enough favourites but I don't think it will be a repeat of Seville Middlesbrough in 2006.

[bennocelt]

Great to see Fulham in the final, Roy Hog is a great manager and great person. The opposite to Mourinho in the class stakes anyway, never moans about refs and is always insightful. Always thought he was badly mistreated with Blackburn and its great that he is back at the top

[DaveyCakes]

I was hoping Hamburg would make it, but not too upset that Fulham are there. I'm just glad Liverpool didn't make it

[Dodge]

Great to see Fulham in the final, Roy Hog is a great manager and great person. The opposite to Mourinho in the class stakes anyway, never moans about refs and is always insightful. Always thought he was badly mistreated with Blackburn and its great that he is back at the top

Spot on. I don't know any football fans who have anything but positive words for him. incredibly open and honest in interviews and has the record to back himself up too.

[pineapple stu]

I don't know any football fans who have anything but positive words for me.
How modest, Dodge.

[Dodge]

LOL, sweet jesus, what a freudian...

Changed now.

All these thanked posts getting to me head...

[OwlsFan]

Looking forward to the game but might do a bit of channel flicking (Cardiff vs Leicester). Is Fulham's name on the trophy? Duffer to score the winner (if he plays)? Should be a good game. Also nice to see Athletico come out from under the shadow of its big city rival so I'd have a soft spot for them also.

[KK77]

My heart says yes but my head says no!

[gustavo]

Delighted for Atleti ! Though the winner had an element of fortune about it

[OwlsFan]

The "fairytale" bit was starting to annoy me. Fulham are a mid table Premiership (allegedly the best league in the world) team. Why should they not have been in the Europa Final? Surprising ok that they did well in the Premiership but since they did, why the fairytale?

Didn't see too much of the game as I mostly watched an excellent play off game between Cardiff (McPhail and Kennedy) and Leicester (Bruce).

[pineapple stu]

I think given the route they took - beating Juve after being 4-1 down and beating the Bundesliga champions for starters - they did exceptionally well to get to the final.

[Junior]

I think thats a little harsh Owls fan (ok not harsh but you know what I mean!)

In 1996 (14 years ago) Fulham were on the verge of going out of the football league. Average home crowds of 4,000. 2 seasons ago they were one Danny Murphy goal from becoming a Championship side. They've won pretty much sod all over the years apart from a few lower league championships and they were losing finalists in the 75 FA Cup final.

If Wimbledons FA Cup win back in 88 was a fairytale journey then this Europa Cup Run for Fulham certainly was.

I appreciate that Hodgson has stepped them up a level over the last 2 years and Fayed has injected cash since he has been around (though it hasnt been anything exceptional when compared to the the other top half of the premiership teams).

As Stu says, they had some great performances along the way Basle, Roma, Juve, Shaktar, Wolfsburg to name a few - Good performances both home and away.

The UEFA/Europa Cup often throws up less fashionable teams in its finals - I guess that is what Fulham are.

Ok I have a soft spot for them as well - The Inlaws are all Fulham! Im gutted they couldnt do it and disappointed Duffs injury appeared too much for him to make any real impact in the game.

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, also what Junior says.

(Although it's Basel, not Basle. Pet hate of mine!)