LONDON: Liverpool aim to overturn Atletico Madrid’s 1-0 first-leg lead and Fulham bid to oust a Hamburg side that just fired their coach as the two sides try to make the first Europa League final an all-English confrontation.

If that happens, it will be five-time European champions Liverpool with a record-equalling 18 English league titles against a club which has never won a major domestic trophy. But Atletico are out to reach their first European final since 1986 and Hamburg are striving to reach a final which will be at their own ground.
Although Liverpool were disappointed to be eliminated from the more prestigious Champions League, they were confident they can beat Atletico at Anfield on Thursday and reach the final of what used to be known as the UEFA Cup. “We are all aware of what is at stake,” said Dutch forward Ryan Babel. “After the first leg, nobody in the dressing room had their heads down because we knew we had the second leg to put it right.
“Luckily enough, we have to play it at Anfield. That is an advantage because on European evenings we can always make them special and we certainly have confidence now. I would be so proud to finish my career with a European medal. If we can go that far, at the end of the season we will be able to look back and see things a little better.”
With Fernando Torres sidelined for the rest of the season and Dirk Kuyt and David Ngog struggling to shake off injuries, Babel has a good chance of starting against an Atletico side which squandered several chances to build a bigger first-leg advantage.
That was without suspended striker Sergio Aguero. But the Argentina star will team up with regular attacking partner Diego Forlan, who scored the only goal of the first leg in Madrid. Despite having such talent in the lineup, Atletico have struggled throughout their domestic league campaign although they have reached the Copa del Rey final against Sevilla.
Fulham have had a remarkable route to the semi-final, knocking out UEFA Cup champion Shakhtar Donetsk, overturning Juventus’ 4-1 lead to oust the Italian club, and eliminating German champions Wolfsburg. Guided by former Inter Milan coach Roy Hodgson, the west London team then restricted Hamburg to 0-0 at the Hamburg Arena where the final is to be played on May 12.
Fulham are on the brink of reaching their first European final and face a club which fired Bruno Labbadia on Monday after a 5-1 Bundesliga loss at Hoffenheim the day before.
Hamburg have put assistant coach Ricardo Moniz in charge and his job is to restore confidence for Thursday’s game at Craven Cottage.