Source: Telegraph
Volcanic ash cloud: Fulham's Europa League semi-final against Hamburg to go ahead
Fulham's Europa League semi-final first leg with Hamburg is to go ahead this week despite the travel chaos engulfing Europe as a result of volcanic ash grounding flights, the English club has confirmed.[LNB]The match is due to be played in Hamburg on Thursday evening and the Fulham squad have to be in the German port 24 hours earlier.[LNB] Related ArticlesFulham 0 Wolves 0Hodgson: Europe takes precedence over LeagueZamora South Africa auditionPremier League actionPremier League tableFulham call to postpone Europa trip if groundedFulham manager Roy Hodgson is hoping flights will have resumed by Wednesday but the club has made alternative arrangements in case that does not happen.[LNB]"The team has a contingency plan for travel to enable them to arrive in Hamburg in time for their scheduled match preparations on Wednesday evening," a club statement read.[LNB]Although the squad will be able to get to Hamburg, Fulham fans who had planned to fly to Germany may miss out on the biggest European match in the west London club's history.[LNB]The club statement added: "At this stage the club still cannot confirm whether the planes scheduled to depart on Wednesday and Thursday to transport fans and media will be able to travel, and is in regular dialogue with the aviation authorities to enable it to inform all parties at the earliest opportunity when a decision is made."[LNB]No decision has yet been made on whether the first leg of the other Europa League semi-final, between Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, will go ahead but Liverpool have made contingency plans to get to the Spanish capital without flying.[LNB]That involves a 2,600-mile round trip that is bound to be fatiguing for a squad that was due to face West Ham in a Premier League fixture on Monday evening.[LNB]Uefa may decide that would give Atletico an unfair advantage but European football's governing body has already insisted on the Champions League semi-finals between Inter Milan and Barcelona and Bayern Munich and Lyon going ahead this week, forcing the Spanish and French sides to make long journeys by coach. [LNB]
