The Europa Leagues qualifications are blurb the foe was creatively the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, open to clubs from cities that hosted traffic fairs so it is a maybe suitable that Fulhams subsequent compare in their European odyssey could be a functions XI fixture: Harrods v Volkswagen.
While the selling mart merely shares the same owners as Fulham, VfL Wolfsburg their quarter-final opponents are unconditionally owned by the car hulk and were creatively the works" team. They are right away the German champions and their pairing was an anticlimactic prerogative for the thespian dispatch of Juventus. Liverpool were since a wily tie opposite Benfica, who knocked them out of the Champions League, winning home and away, when Rafael Benitezs side were holders in 2005.
While Liverpool supporters will suffer a mangle in Lisbon, Fulham fans will be less preoccupied by a outing to the industrial executive German city, that was combined to residence Volkswagen workers in the Thirties. For Roy Hodgson and his players the tie offers beatable opposition, with Wolfsburgs form less considerable this deteriorate following the exits of the physical education instructor Felix Magath and playmaker Diego.
The latter was in the Juventus group washed up at Craven Cottage on Wednesday, a feat that has since the group the idea they can kick anybody. "Can we go all the way? Why not?" pronounced Clint Dempsey, the match-winner. "If you work difficult and you believe, theres regularly a chance. And I believe. We"re a group that has a lot of impression and that has a lot of heart.
"Everybody thought it was over when we went 1-0 down, but the impression and the heart of the guys began to show, we fought behind and to get the outcome we did was incredible."
In anxiety to the group narrows shun from the dump less than dual years ago he added: "To go from relegation possibilities to the quarter-finals of the Europa League is crazy. But you regularly have to be perplexing to improved yourself and be relocating in the right direction, and this bar is you do that."
Wolfsburgs strength is in conflict with Grafite, not long ago returned to the Brazilian side, much-coveted Bosnian Edin Dzeko, and Obafemi Martins, formerly of Newcastle. Defensively they are less sound, as Michael Owen showed when scoring a hat-trick in Germany for a half-strength Manchester United side this season.
Should Fulham better Wolfsburg they will encounter Hamburg, whose belligerent hosts the May final, or Standard Liège of Belgium.
Liverpool have a some-more daunting path. Should they overcome Benfica they will fool around Spanish opposition, Valencia, Rafael Benitezs former side, or Atletico Madrid.
Benfica, now 3 points transparent in Portugal, thrashed an injury-hit Everton 5-0 progressing in the competition, with Argentinas Angel De Maria to the fore. They additionally embody Pablo Aimar, whom Benitez managed at Valencia. "We know they are a great team," pronounced the Liverpool manager. "They are tip of the list and personification unequivocally well. I know a series of their players well Aimar, Javier Saviola, Javi Garcia so it will be tough."
Europa League: Quarter-final draw
Fulham v Wolfsburg, Hamburg v Standard Liège, Valencia v Atletico Madrid, Benfica v Liverpool
Ties to be played 1 and 8 April
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