Source: Team_Talk
De Gea aware of Zamora threat
Atletico Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea is wary of the threat posed by Fulham striker Bobby Zamora in Wednesday's Europa League final. The 29-year-old has had a breakthrough season with Fulham and still hopes to be fit to face the Spaniards in Hamburg despite a long-standing Achilles injury.Such has been his form this term he is even expected to be named by Fabio Capello in England's provisional 30-man World Cup squad.That has not escaped the attention of De Gea, who is wary of the threat posed by the Cottagers on the break - and Zamora in particular.He told Marca: "They are very physical and will have to defend very well to stop us scoring and I will have to be very careful to stay on my game."In addition Zamora is a great player and I'll have to be aware of him."At the start of the season, De Gea, 19, could not have imagined he would have a pair of finals to look forward to.Coach Abel Resino had brought in Sergio Asenjo from Real Valladolid as one of his highest-profile summer signings.But their poor early-season form meant Resino was shown the door, replaced by Quique Sanchez Flores, while 20-year-old Asenjo's errors saw him replaced in the first team by De Gea.The campaign has been on the whole disappointing for Atletico, as they failed in the Champions League and will finish the Primera Division season in a relatively lowly ninth.The silver lining though is a pair of cup finals, on Wednesday against Fulham and a week later against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey, giving De Gea plenty to be proud of at such an early stage in his career."I don't know if this is the season of my life, but it is so far, because it's been very good in that I played in the Primera Division," he said."Playing finals is a dream and hopefully we can win both."This was unthinkable when the season started, because I didn't play much for the team, but I knew that by working and struggling I would have a chance, and I had to seize it."Atletico have not won a major title since their league and cup double in 1996."A final is always special, but this is still more so because it's a long time that the club has not won a title and we want to do, so let's go for the two competitions," said De Gea."I don't remember much about the double, but I've seen a lot of videos and pictures and hopefully it will be repeated because it was a very big party."While things have got better and better for De Gea, injury was added to insult for Asenjo on Saturday when, in a rare start in the 1-1 draw against Sporting Gijon, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.He is due to undergo surgery tomorrow and is expected to be sidelined for around six months.