Soccer betting tips and predictions

Europa League Final

Atletico Madrid – Fulham 12 May 2010

*matches in all competitions

Atletico last 5 matches:  

Atletico last 3 EL matches:

Fulham last 5 matches:

Fulham last 3 EL matches:

The first final of the new Europa League competition and with top names like Juventus and Liverpool knocked out it’s left for Atletico Madrid and Fulham to settle the scored this night in Hamburg.

Although neither of these teams are high in stats in their domestic leagues, both Atletico and Fulham have proven that they take this competition very serious and are eager to grab the trophy.

Atletico Madrid is 9th in the Spanish Primera Division and with no chances of claiming and European tournament spot for next season this trophy can prove as a savior for what has been so far a mediocre year.

The team’s form is not a great one with only 2 victories in the last 5 matches played in all competitions but their morale is very good as they went past English giants Liverpool in the semi-finals at the end of 2 very close matches.

Fulham was no doubt the surprise of this season in Europa League if not all Europe’s club competitions. Noone would have thought at the start that this small English team will be able to go past big names such as last year’s Uefa Cup winners FC Shakhtar Donetsk, Hamburger SV and especially Juventus.

Only 12th in the Premier League, their coach is confident that it’s team will lift the trophy at the end of the match and celebrate an historic achievement on German soil. They have lost the last 2 matches played but it’s not hard to figure out that they are thinking only at this final.

My tip:  Atletico Madrid to win ( 3-1 scoreline)

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*matches in all competitions

Shakhtar last 5 matches:  

Shakhtar last 3 home matches:

Fulham last 5 matches:

Fulham last 3 away matches:

With only one goal advantage taken in the first leg of the knock-out of the Europa League, Fulham has a very though mission as they travel to a very strong Shakhtar Donetsk team.

Shakhtar Donetsk and their European claims suffered a setback last week as they where defeated by Fulham 2-1, the Ukrainian team has high ambitions for this tournament as they where last year’s winners of the Uefa Cup and any other performance will be considered inferior.

They where the favorites in the eyes of many as they traveled to England against a B rated Premier League squad but came empty handed. All is not lost as the away goal makes them strong favorites for this match and also the qualification in the next phase.

Fulham is clearly the less experienced team in European tournaments of the two but with a very good morale as they claimed 4 consecutive wins in all competition counting the first leg. Nonetheless besides Shakhtar their opposition was inferior so the victories may count only for their morale.

The English side great advantage into this dispute is that the Premier League is in full throttle whilst the Ukrainian league will start this week-end after about 3 months of winter break.

My tip:  Shakhtar Donetsk to win

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