Source: Team_Talk
Nevland eyes dream finale
Erik Nevland says it would be a dream come true if he were to end his two-and-a-half year spell at Fulham with a Europa League winners' medal.[LNB] The Cottagers fly to Hamburg next week hoping to overcome the odds once again by beating Spanish side Atletico Madrid to lift the first major trophy in the club's 131-year history.[LNB]Despite having overcome Juventus, Shakhtar Donetsk, Wolfsburg and Hamburg to make the final in Germany, Roy Hodgson's side will go into the match as underdogs against an Atletico side who dumped Liverpool out in the semi-finals.[LNB]The Cottagers' chances of victory will decrease significantly if Bobby Zamora (Achilles) and Damien Duff (leg) fail to recover from their injuries in time for the match.[LNB]Nevland is due to return to Viking Stavanger, the club where he began his career, at the end of the season, despite Hodgson's best efforts to keep him at Craven Cottage.[LNB]The 32-year-old admits he would relish the prospect of helping fire Fulham to victory on Wednesday if top goalscorer Zamora misses the match.[LNB]"We want to win every game we play but for me personally it would be an absolute dream to leave with a Europa League medal around my neck," said the Norwegian.[LNB]"Obviously I want to play in the final. It's one of the biggest games I will ever play in and I want to be a part of it.[LNB]"There is still a big game to play so it's going to be exciting and we are looking forward to it."[LNB]Duff will be monitored by the club's medical staff on Thursday as they seek to determine whether the Republic of Ireland winger will be available for next week's match, after he was forced to leave the field at half-time of Wednesday night's Premier League defeat against Stoke.[LNB]He is likely to miss Sunday's Premier League finale against Arsenal, while Zamora is struggling to overcome the Achilles injury which has kept him out of Fulham's last two games.[LNB]"Duff was taken off at half time because he took a kick a while ago and we think one of his muscles was cramping up," explained Hodgson.[LNB]"We hope it's not too serious and I hope he'll be fit for the final.[LNB]"Bobby stands a chance of making it but he's not making vast amounts of progress on a daily basis so it could be touch and go."[LNB]UEFA are expected to announce over the next couple of days whether or not Fulham have been successful in their application for extra tickets for Wednesday's game.[LNB]The club sold out their allocation of 12,650 tickets within hours of them going on sale on Friday morning.[LNB]Fulham fans have been angered by the decision to allow the club's 10,000 season ticket holders to buy four tickets each, which has left many without a chance to make the game.[LNB]"A lot of disgruntled fans have come up to me asking if I have any tickets because they are that desperate to go," said David Lloyd, Editor of Fulham fanzine There's only one F in Fulham.[LNB]"I think that the club's lack of experience has caught them out here.[LNB]"To give season ticket holders four tickets is a bad decision.[LNB]"It was a knee-jerk reaction. The club put the tickets on sale at 7am in the morning straight after the match.[LNB]"They didn't take any steps to talk to the fans and some of the fans who have followed the club across Europe this season have now been left without.[LNB]"It leaves a bad taste in people's mouths ahead of the biggest game in the club's history."[LNB]Fulham refused to comment on the matter today.
