Well, we’ve been checking the stats and apparently 14 million people tuned in to JOE’s match tracker. No messing. Hope to see you all again at the weekend when we’re covering the GAA. Now go to bed – you’ve work in the morning.
And there’s the whistle! Forlan did the trick – six goals in the tournament and two in the final. Heartbreak for Fulham. Horrible way to end a fantastic journey for the club. God knows how long they will have to wait until another shot like that.
Into extra time in the second half of extra time.
Atletico run down the clock with a late sub. Fulham with less than a minute. The chances of penalties look unlikely.
Forlan picks up a yellow card for taking off his shirt during his celebration. “Like he’s bothered,” says Mark Lawrenson.
Aguero shows some cracking power to hold off his man. He waited until Forlan arrived into the box! The ball was squared and the former United man flicks it past the keeper. He’s done it again.
Goal Atletico!!!!!!!!!!!
Danny Murphy steams back into his own to make an important interception. He’s holding his thigh though. Looks like cramp.
Pera takes out Dempsey as he tries to break away in midfield. Yellow card Pera.
Aguero running at Fulham again. They can’t get the ball off him in his own box! He plays it out but the cross comes in and is easilly cleared.
Ref spots a foul. Might have been Dempsey on the keeper.
Another free kick for Fulham in a good position after a heavy challenge from Ujfalusi. Murphy gets ready…
The big guns are up – Etuhu rises to meet it! Taken off his head by the keeper. He didn’t look confident there.
Fulham have won another free in a good position outside the box.
Konchesky breaks down the wing and Salvio tackles from behind. Ouch. Yellow card my son.
Dempsey with the header on in the middle of the park – almost plays in Nevland. That would have been a sucker-punch – Atletico were stretched.
And we’re off again! That was quick. Barely had time to wash my hands.
And that’s all for the first half of extra time. I’m dying for a slash so I’ll be back shortly.
Konchesky does well to contain Aguero who fails to get his shot away. Atletico win a corner and play is shot. Goes back out to Forlan who runs through Baird into the box! Squares it across the face of goal! Somehow the two Atletico players fail to connect with the ball and it goes out for a kickout. Heart-in-mouth stuff.
Forlan meets a cross inside the box! Goal mouth scramble but Schwartzer and Etuhu somehow get it away.
Fulham enjoying the better chances as well as the possession here.
Davies knocks it over the top to Nevland – gets behind his man and plays it across the face of goal! Nobody there!
Nevland goes down the chanel and wins a corner for Fulham. Davies takes, but easy take for the keeper.
Athletico break down the centre – Aguero opts to shoot! Way over. Wasteful too – Forlan had made a great run on the overlap.
An early shot from distance – from the boot of Simon Davies. He’s had a few good ones tonight, but this isn’t one of them. Well wide.
We’re about to get the first half of extra time underway.
The Italian referee calls time. So it’s extra time!
Agero goes down under the a non-event of a challenge by Konchesky inside the box! Ref waves it away.
Into the final minute of normal time here. It’s been a cracking game to watch, has to be said. There were zero minutes of extra time in the first half and we’re getting two minutes for the second.
Straight into the wall and out for a kick-out. Far too low.
Gera fouled by Garcia – he flew in to the back of the Fulham man at the edge of the box. Danny Murphy territory.
It’s really swung back in favour of Atletico. Fulham are struggling to get the ball out of their own half. Dempsey is isolated up front so it’s only going to continue. The ball drops to Garcia outside the box – he shoots! Poor effort slips wide of the post for a kickout.
Fulham having the better of the play in the latter stages of the second half. They’ve been much better than they were in the first 45 minutes.
Former Arsenal man Reyes goes off for Salvio – a striker. It looks like Atletico are going for the throat.
15 minutes of ordinary time left.
Atletico win a free outside the Fulham box and Aguera hits it! Lame shot in the end. Curls around the box but easy for Schwartzer to gather.
Fulham get to ease some pressure when they win a corner. Played in by Dempsey but fisted away by the keeper.
More pressure from Atletico here. Fulham seem to be backing off and like an Amsterdam hooker are inviting the lads on.
Duff picks it up and cuts inside – Atletico are backing off and it’s on his left foot! Shoots! Oh, just wide.
Fulham are struggling to contain Aguero. Hangeland tries to beat him to the ball and gets a yellow card when the Argentine livewire goes down.
Gera whips it in and the defender puts it to the feet of Davies! Another cracking strike and saved by the keeper who did well to get down.
Dempsey is causing problems already. He chases down a loose ball and forces a mistake from Dominguez. That fresh pair of legs might help the cause alright.
Dempsey is coming on for Zamora. The bloke is probably going to need bionic legs after that little run-out.
His first touch is too heavy and the keeper gathers.
Great ball from Murphy puts Gera in – one-on-one with the keeper!
Neat passing from Fulham, they’re putting Atletico under pressure. They’ve had a couple of half-chances on the trot, the last of which involved the ball breaking to Duff on the wing. He made it to the edge of the box and tried to chip it into Zamora, but it hadn’t got the height.
And we’re underway again!
And there is the half time whistle. It has to be said that Fulham have struggled like an overweight teenager putting on a pair of skinny jeans at times, but the scoreline is all that matters 1-1 at the break.
Atletico win another corner and again it’s too low. Cleared but lobbed back into the box and Atletico have forced another corner! Good pressure here from Atletico in the final minutes of the first half. Falls to Forlan who shoots! Forces a good save from Schwartzer.
Corner comes in – fails to beat the first man. Cleared by Fulham.
Chance for Atletico to whip one in from a free kick – Fulham fail to clear and it goes out for a corner.
We have a game on our hands here. That was a cracking goal after some great build-up play. It came at a time when Fulham really needed a boost.
Konchesky down the wing – passes to Zamora who skins two men inside the box! Somebody shoot! Goes out to Gera who chips to Davies! He blasts it home! Goal Fulham 1-1!!
Aguero running at Fulham – Forlan pulls a defender wide and it opens up for Forlan! Shoots! Tame in the end. Fulham need to concentrate and not ship another one.
Reyes picks it up and plays in Simao – to Aguero who shoots! It’s poor but falls to Forlan inside the box! Slots it into the bottom corner.
Goal Atletico!!!!!!
Atletico backing off as Fulham approach – another error and Atletico break!
Aguero again! He breezes past Baird before stuffing Hughes and skinning Baird again! Mugged mate. He drills it across the face of goal but Hangeland gets to it just before the waiting Forlan. This chap is on fire.
Aguero picks up a slide rule pass down the middle – he’s through! Oh, lovely last gasp challenge from Hughes.
Another unforced error and Forlan picks it up outside Fulham’s area! Shoots! Another effort. Well wide again. Reminded me of his Man U days.
Falls to Davies at the edge of the box! Catches it sweetly! Keeper does well to gather. Fulham’s first on-target shot of the match.
Fulham starting to knock it around. Konchesky to Zamora who heads back to Gera who shoots first time! Well over.
Easy for the Fulham keeper in the end. Wasn’t a great free kick from Garcia.
Etuhu slides in and fouls Ujfalusi. The tough guy centre forward goes down like a grenade went off behind him. Free kick in a dangerous area – just outside the box.
Very sloppy passing from Fulham. Hangeland and Etuhu both at it. They need to settle fast or they are going to get punished.
Murphy with a shocking pass gifts the ball straight to Aguero! He plays in Forlan who shoots!!!! Clips the bottom of the far post! Murphy wants shot for that one. A real let off for Fulham there.
Fulham stroking it around in the middle of the park and it breaks for Zamora who cuts into the box! Given off-side. Very late call.
Finds the feet of Aguero who controls sweetly. He can kick a ball this fella.
Fulham fail to clear first time, but Hangeland blocks the second cross and it goes out for a throw.
Garcia with the first shot of the match. Takes a deflection and goes out for a corner kick.
Duff finds himself tracking back to cover Aguero. Puts it out for a throw to Atletico.
Hangeland spoons it skyward under no pressure in the centre of the park. It drops to Murphy who does exactly the same thing. Murphy needs to pull his shorts up. I can see his nerves jangling.
And we’re off!
The Nordbank Arena in Hamburg is looking well. Not as well as the Aviva will next year when the final comes to Dublin! Up ya boy ya!
We’re closing in on kick-off! I’m so excited I can hardly type!
Roy has spoken about Bobby’s stunning recovery. He said, “Zamora was obviously close beacuse we had to wait until Monday to see if the improvement kicked on, but fortunately he was able to train on Monday. We didn’t take any chances yesterday evening so it has healed and he is fit to play. Wer’e excited at the occasion, we don’t play at this level every week and it’s a massive final everywhere aroud the world. We are aware of our responsibility but we will look to play well.”
Fulham’s recent league form has been the best either in all fairness: In their last eight Premiership games they have had two wins, four losses and two draws. That said, you get the feeling they will be stepping up their game tonight.
Apparently Aguero costs more than the whole Fulham squad. Not the starting 11 – the whole squad.
Atletico Madrid starting XI has been named. Some handy players in the pile: De Gea, Ujfalusi, Perea, Dominguez, Antonio Lopez, Reyes, Paulo Assuncao, Raul Garcia, Simao, Forlan and Aguero. Subs: Joel, Valera, Camacho, Jurado, Salvio, Juanito, Cabrera.
If Hodgson wins this, he will be the first English manger to win a European trophy with an English team in 25 years. There’s a little bit of useless information for you. I swear I didn’t steal it from Sky Sports News.
Fulham might be the underdogs going into this game, but Atletico aren’t all that. The club’s recent league form hasn’t been great. In their last eight Liga games they had three wins, four losses and one draw.
So who reckons Zamora is actually fit? He’ll pull the trigger and his leg will fly off into the stands.
How old is Danny Murphy anyway? Didn’t Liverpool sell him in the 1980s?
Fulham starting XI: Schwarzer, Baird, Konchesky, Hangeland, Hughes, Davies, Duff, Etuhu, Murphy, Gera and Zamora.
News just in that Bobby Zamora has been given the green light to play – and Hodgson has named him in his starting line-up. That will be welcome news to Fulham fans – Zamora has been in electric form this season.
Read some of JOE.ie’s build up reports on the game. Here, Atletico boss Flores demands ‘courage’ from his players in the face of the physical challenge coming their way from Fulham.
This is the big one for Roy Hodgson’s men, as they compete for a top European Honour. The boss is optimisitic:
“It’s been a very good season for us and we’re all determined to crown that season if we possibly can by winning a trophy”, said Hodgson.
