Europa League Debate: How Do Atletico Madrid And Fulham Match Up?

We compare the potential starting line-ups of both sides.

Atletico Madrid and Fulham lock horns on Wednesday to be crowned winners of the inaugural edition of the Europa League.

Both sides have been lurking in the shadows of their more well-known city rivals, and now have the opportunity to make history by emerging triumphant in the final of Europe's second-tier competition.

With the final in Hamburg looming on Wednesday evening, Goal.com UK took a look at the Castrol Rankings of the two challengers' potential line-ups to get an insight into what to expect.

And in one of the closest head-to-heads so far, Fulham have the edge player-by-player with a 6-5 victory, but Atleti hold a slender points advantage.

It is at the back that Fulham seem to have the most telling presence, Mark Schwarzer, Brede Hangeland and Paul Konchesky holding sizable advantages over their opposite numbers.

But the midfield is an entirely different story, as influential Portuguese winger Simao's advantage over the rest of the pack proves to be telling. Even Damien Duff's 195-point advantage over Jose Antonio Reyes only reduces the gap.

Up front, former Manchester United hitman Diego Forlan and one of Europe's hottest properties at the moment, Sergio Aguero, combine to ensure that Zoltan Gera and Bobby Zamora stand little chance by comparison. This gap could increase further if the latter is not able to overcome an Achilles injury in time for the final.

Here are the Castrol Rankings in full:

David DE GEA Rank:No.1126 Points: 403

Fulham by 276pts

Mark SCHWARZER Rank: No.132 Points: 679

	Tomas UJFALUSI Rank: No.648 Points: 530	Fulham by 7pts	John PANTSIL Rank: No.616 Points: 537
	Luis PEREA Rank: No.857 Points: 487	Fulham by 47pts	Brede HANGELAND Rank: No.632 Points: 534
	Alvaro DOMINGUEZ Rank: No.627 Points: 535	Atletico by 15pts	Aaron HUGHES Rank: No.702 Points: 520
	Antonio LOPEZ Rank: No.758 Points: 510	Fulham by 74pts	Paul KONCHESKY Rank: No.428 Points: 584

	Jose Antonio REYES Rank: No.1076 Points: 423	Fulham by 195pts	Damien DUFF Rank: No.297 Points: 618
	Raul GARCIA Rank: No.717 Points: 518	Atletico by 64pts	Dickson ETUHU Rank: No.982 Points: 454
	ASSUNCAO Rank: No.512 Points: 560	Fulham by 11pts	Danny MURPHY Rank: No.476 Points: 571
	SIMAO Rank: No.291 Points: 620	Atletico by 400pts	Simon DAVIES Rank: No.1588 Points: 220

	Diego FORLAN Rank: No.82 Points: 706	Atletico by 139pts	Zoltan GERA Rank: No.487 Points: 567
	Sergio AGUERO Rank: No.64 Points: 722	Atletico by 179pts	Bobby ZAMORA Rank: No.588 Points: 543

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