Europa League Preview: Fulham - FC Basel
Hodgson himself won’t so fondly remember last weekend’s Premier League clash with Arsenal at Craven Cottage. After turning in an assured performance and looking likely to gain at least a point, the south Londoners found themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 score line. That result has left them one place off the relegation zone, with the unfamiliar structure of the Europa League perhaps serving as an unnecessary distraction.
Basel, meanwhile, are no strangers to European competition, having featured in Champions Leagues and Uefa Cups in years past.
The Swiss side are off to a flying start, having beaten Roma, perhaps the most decorated team in Group E, by a comfortable two-goal margin. A victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage would see them edge closer to qualification for the next phase, though they have failed to win in any of their previous six visits to England.
FORM GUIDE
Fulham
Fulham 0 – 1 Arsenal (Premier League) Man City 2 – 1 Fulham (AET – League Cup) Wolves 2 – 1 Fulham (Premier League) CSKA Sofia 1 – 1 Fulham (Europa League) Fulham 2 – 1 Everton (Premier League)
Basel
FC Aarau 2 – 0 Basel (Super League) Basel 4 – 0 St Gallen (Super League) SC Cham 0 – 3 Basel (Cup) Basel 2 – 0 Roma (Europa League) Bellinzona 2 – 3 Basel (Super League)
TEAM NEWS
Fulham
Hodgson had aimed to field a strong side, but injury has forced his hand tomorrow. Goalkeeper David Stockdale is injured, while Pascal Zuberbuhler has not been registered for the Europa League, so Mark Schwarzer is the only available ‘keeper. Defender Brede Hangeland is also out, while Dickson Etuhu, Simon Davies and Damien Duff will not feature.
Possible Starting XI: Schwarzer; Stoor, Pantsil, Hughes, Kelly; Dempsey, Gera, Murphy, Riise; Zamora, Johnson.
Basel
Manager Torsten Fink appears to have avoided a similar injury curse to that of Fulham, and so his team will most likely be the same as the one that beat Aarau at the weekend. International pair Alexander Frei and Marco Streller look set to be partners in attack, while Portuguese midfielder Carlitos is also a threatening presence.
Possible Starting XI: Costanzo; Atan, Abraham, Sahin, Gelabert; Huggel, Chipperfield, Stocker, Carlitos; Streller, Frei.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fulham
Injuries will force Fulham to shuffle their pack, but one player likely to remain in the side and play a key role is Andrew Johnson. The former Everton man is in need of a fruitful season, after misfiring for the majority of last term, and a successful run of goals in Europe could go some way to justifying his price tag.
Basel
Basel have some experienced players in their ranks, and few more so than Alexander Frei. The striker has returned to the club he left in 1998 from German club Borussia Dortmund and has been amongst the goalscorers in recent weeks; he will hope to trouble the Cottagers reorganised back line.
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FK Atyrau
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3,10
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1
1,37
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1
1,20
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1
1,04
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1,25