A Hugh Grant sighting. A big hug for Hodgson from Michel Platini. A pensive Danny Murphy. The skies over the Hamburg Arena raining confetti. The ecstatic Los Colchoneros.

The city that had fondly hoped that their team would be the one contesting the final had one connection. Tomáš Ujfaluši, a former Hamburg player.

Barca and Lyon will travel by bus to Inter and Bayern respectively thus undercutting the need to use airspace choked by Iceland's volcanic ash.

UEFA has indicated that the Europa League semi-final matches will also go ahead as planned. Fulham has to travel 450 miles to Hamburg and Liverpool double that to get to Atletico Madrid.

The road to Atletico Madrid involved a 23 hour journey that took them to London's Euston St by train and then onto St Pancras to board the Eurostar to Paris.

After an overnight stay in the French capital, the Reds boarded a train to Bordeaux. Then onto the airport for the final descent into Madrid's Barajas airport.

A spate of injuries might see Ryan Babel up front in the role of a makeshift forward.

Dirk Kuyt and David Ngog have injury concerns. Fernando Torres is already out for the season. Maxi Rodriguez is cup tied and will not be eligible to appear.

The back line is already with Emiliano Insua, Martin Skrtel, and Fabio Aurelio.

Two former Premiership players combined to end Liverpool's Europa Cup hopes.

Ex- Arsenal winger Jose Antonio Reyes showing more quickness than Glen Johnson, headed the ball past the full back and quickly controlling fired a cross to the incoming Diego Forlan. The Man Utd reject sent Liverpool into agony with a superb finish.

In the 20' minute Amorebeita was red carded by referee Muñiz Fernández as he handballed a shot by Gonzalo Higauin inside the Atletico Bilbao goal area. An extremely harsh decision. A very upset Joaquin Caparros, Bilabo's manager vociferously protested the decision and was sent off by Fernandez.

Fulham and Atletico Madrid could again face the possibility of long, arduous journeys to get to Hamburg for the Europa Cup final on Wednesday.

That is because fresh eruptions of volcanic ash have been drifting over Northern Europe and shutting down airspace. Air travel between Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Ireland were affected as airlines operated fewer flights.

Good news for the good ship Fulham in its voyage to dizzying never before glory. Bobby Zamora, the driving force in their Europa Cup campaign with 8 goals is likely to take the field. All indications are that he has recuperated very well from his Achilles tendon injury.

"He trained on Monday and that was very, very positive," said manager Roy Hodgson.

Messrs Diego Forlan, Simao Sabroso, Sergio Aguero, and Jose Antonio Reyes have been entrusted with Los Colchoneros quest to end their 48 year old drought. That was the last time they won a major European title, the Cup Winners Cup in 1962.

The match between Atletico and Fiorentina was contested as a one off final after UEFA abolished the two leg format that they had established for the competition its inaugural year.

Goals by Miguel Jones, Jose Alberto Mendonça, and Joaquín Peiró give the Colchoneros a famous victory over Fiorentina.

Fulham failed to keep the predatory Forlan away from goal.

Sergio "Kun" Agueo's mishit falls fortuitously at Diego Forlan's feet in the 32' minute and the Uruguayan makes it look easy for Atletico's first goal. But 5 minutes later Zoltan Gera's cross was deflected towards Scott Davies who volleyed it past David De Gea for Fulham's equalizer.

Diego Capel lashes a shot past David De Gea after the ball rebounds back to him in the 4' minute and then in the 90' minute, Jesus Navas steals the ball and runs towards goal as Antonio Lopez fails in his attempt to tackle him. De Gea is beaten on Navas's sidestep, and Lopez, by now back in goal tries a futile attempt to keep the ball out but it is too late.

Goals by former Arsenal winger Jose Antonio Reyes and Maradona's son in law Kun Aguero seal a memorable victory for Los Colchoneros. To top it all, Diego Milito misses a penalty to rain on Rafa Benitez's parade.

Barca overcame Atletico's hoodoo at the Vicente Calderon by beating them, 2-1 as Gerard Pique scored a late match winner. Leo Messi put the visitors ahead but Atletico came back through Raul Garcia against the run of play through a header. Barca thus ended a three match losing streak. The match ended on a note of concern as Leo Messi injured his right ankle following a Tomas Ujfalusi tackle.