Gera's Delight 
Zoltan Gera spoke of his immense pride on Thursday night after he scored the goal that sent Fulham into the UEFA Europa League Final.
The Hungarian pounced on a loose ball in the Hamburg penalty area with 14 minutes remaining to fire the Whites ahead for the first time and send Craven Cottage into an eruption of joy.
“I’m very happy, very proud and I can’t believe it at the moment that we’ll be playing in a European Final,” he enthused. “So I’ll enjoy the moment and then we’ll look ahead to winning the Final.”
The course of events ran anything but smoothly for Roy Hodgson’s side as the visitors took the lead midway through the first-half with a stunning Mladen Petric free-kick giving Hamburg the away goal advantage before the Whites had really even found their stride.
But once again Fulham’s belief and desire to succeed in the competition shone through as they staged an epic second-half comeback to seal their place in the final on May 12th.
“I think in the first-half we played well and had a few good chances, but Petric scored a wonderful free-kick,” assessed Gera. “At half-time we talked about the first-half and what we needed to do in the second, and I think the team showed we can play well and change the game, so I think we deserved to go through.”
And Fulham will face Atletico Madrid in that match after the Spaniards defeated Liverpool after extra time in the other semi-final, but the Hungarian explained that the identity of the opposition was of little relevance at the moment as he and his team-mates struggle to take in the magnitude of their achievement.
“To be honest, I didn't care if it was Atletico or Liverpool. Atletico will be a different style to an English team, yes, but whether or not that’s a good thing we will see after the final.
“It will be another tough game, but then Hamburg were a tough team, Juventus were a tough team, Wolfsburg were a tough team so we will see.
“But at the moment we can’t take in what we’ve done tonight. I think over the next few years we’ll be able to fully understand, but at the moment all I can tell you is that I’m happy with the supporters and very happy with the Club.”
To reach the final two it’s already been an incredible journey for the Whites who began their Europa League campaign back in July, and the hero of the hour was quick to extend praise to every one of his squad mates who has contributed along the way.
“I think the Club was very clever to sign very good players last summer and we have proved we have a very good squad in this cup. Lots of times players have come in and performed and you can see it’s not just been the same 11 that have played all the way.
“It’s been a squad achievement and everyone deserves credit. And as for the Manager, I can’t explain how good he is.”
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A Special One After Thursday night’s historic win over Hamburg, Dickson Etuhu described his utter delight at defying the odds at the Cottage to reach the Final of the UEFA Europa League on the 12th May.
“I’m still in shock to be honest,” said Etuhu late on Thursday night. “It’s still not hit me yet!
“It’s been a great day and I hope everyone enjoyed it because this doesn’t happen very often. I know I’m going to enjoy it.
“Nobody thought we could get this far but we’re here and we should enjoy it.”
Fulham’s remarkable second half comeback on Thursday night was in-tune with the chorus of ‘stand up if you still believe’ from the Cottage faithful and Etuhu was keen to praise the supporters for creating an electric atmosphere on Thursday night.
“We just had to keep doing what we were doing and not change anything in the second half. You could see we were the better team on the day and it was a fair result.
“It’s great to have the fans behind us like they were tonight. They’re a big part of why we won and I’d like to thank them for doing that.
“We’ve got three more games to play before the Final and I’ll be thinking about West Ham on Sunday now – but it was a special one today!”
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A Magical Night 
John Pantsil described Fulham’s victory over Hamburg in the UEFA Europa League Semi-Final as the best moment in his career after he made his return to Craven Cottage action after four months out injured in the most dramatic circumstances.
The Ghanaian right-back had just 90 minutes of First Team action, at Everton last Sunday, before being thrown into the fray on the biggest night in Fulham Football Club’s history, and he couldn’t have been happier with how things turned out.
“It feels great. I was just pleased to be back playing again in such a special game, and for it to turn out like it did was very special,” he said. “It wasn’t easy having been out for so long, so I’m just so happy.”
At one stage it looked like Pantsil’s hopes of playing a part in the Europa League competition again had ended, so his return to fitness couldn’t have come at a better time for the Club, or the player who can now look forward to both a European Final followed by a World Cup this summer.
“I was worried because I missed the African Nations Cup in January and I thought I might miss the World Cup too,” he admitted. “So I’m so happy to be here at the moment and taking part in nights like this.
“The past few months were a bit frustrating, but credit to the boys for keeping it going. Of course, I wished I could play in the games with the other players and in front of the fans, so it’s so great to be here now.”
And the right-back looked like he had never been away as he slotted seamlessly back into the defence with a composed and solid performance that gave the visitors no space for manoeuvre down their left hand side, giving the Whites the platform to turn the game on its head, inspired, he says, by the fans, and the Manager.
“We have the fans who helped change the game and a Manager who knew how to change the team. Look at the change he made just before we scored our second goal. He took me off and brought an attacker to put them under more pressure just at the right time.”
The win sets up an intriguing England v Spain battle in the final in 13 days’ time against Atletico Madrid, but the defender believes that Fulham should fear no team now after the tough journey they have taken to reach the showdown in Hamburg.
“It will be another big game for us, but we’ve fought hard to get here and beaten lots of teams as good as them, so it won’t be easy but we are confident we can do it."
Pantsil’s target is now clear in the remaining games of a sensational season as he works hard to regain his sharpness ahead of the World Cup, and he says that there would be no better way to enter the world’s biggest tournament than with a Europa League winner’s medal around his neck.
“The aim now is to get my sharpness and fitness because the World Cup is not far away. We have three league games to play so I will go all out and do my best to show my country I am ready to play.
“Then comes the Europa League final and to win the title would be the perfect push to my morale just before the World Cup.”
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Final Focus 
Bobby Zamora praised the spirit and work ethic of his Team on Thursday night after Fulham produced another incredible fight back against Hamburg to secure their place in the Final of the UEFA Europa League.
“We’ve been underdogs in every game in the Europa League but we just give it our all in every game, as we have done all season,” Zamora explained.
“It’s been like that all the way through the competition. We were 3-1 down to Juventus and then conceded in the first few minutes – but that just shows the spirit of this side to come back and score four goals.
“There’s no point coming into this [Europa League] competition and playing all these games if you’re not going to give it your all.
“I think a lot of people might look at our Team and think we’re not the greatest on paper but we’re a very hard working side who are very difficult to beat – you can see that in our performances.”
Zamora has been playing through the pain in recent weeks with an Achilles injury and the striker is clearly desperate to be fit for the Final in Hamburg on May 12th.
“I wanted to play in the game and I would have done anything to play in it. It wasn’t my greatest performance but we’re through to the Final.
“I’m desperate to be on the pitch in the Final and the next week or two is really important for me. I can’t see me making the game on Sunday against West Ham but it’s a case of making sure I’m ready for the Final.”
Following Thursday night’s historic European win at the Cottage, Zamora took a moment to praise Manager Roy Hodgson for guiding the Club from the brink of relegation to a major European Final in less than two years.
“He’s [Roy Hodgson] brilliant,” said Zamora. “The organisation and training – you can see we’re well drilled from our performances. Everybody knows where they should be. He’s top drawer.”
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Praise from Sir Alex 
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson praised Fulham and Roy Hodgson following the Team's fantastic win over Hamburg in the Semi-Final of the UEFA Europa League
"Roy should be manager of the year, there is absolutely no doubt about it," said Ferguson.
"It is a miracle. Hopefully he does win it now but it is one of the best British performances of all time.
"I sent Roy a text message and everyone at the club was wishing them all the best.
"When you go 1-0 down to a German team you say to yourself it is going to be hard but the comeback was fantastic.
"I heard people on the radio this morning saying that they didn't play well. It was their 59th game of the season and people were talking about their performance!
"He was doing well to get those players onto the pitch because he can only have about 16 players in his squad.
"They still have another four games to play yet. That will be 63. They started in that tournament in July. July! Crikey. I was on the beach."
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ფულჰემი, F. F. C. FULHAM (II ნაწილი)
