There was joy in the island of Mallorca after their fifth place finish in La Liga last year. The islanders were ready to participate in international play but those dreams were wiped out after UEFA Control and Disciplinary Board ruled that the team did not fulfill their requirements of entry into the 2010/11 Europa League.  The decision caused waves in the island and throughout Spain.

The Spanish side was loooking to go into administration this past May after accumulating over 70 million euros in debt that past season.  Former head coach Llorenc Serra Ferrer headed up a group of investors that bought the club and places former Barcelona and Real Madrid legend Michael Laudrup on the team bench.  The island's favorite son and current tennis world number one Rafael Nadal has also come to help out the club becoming shareholder in an effort to help turn around the team's current financial woes.

"It would a shame for the team not to go to the Europa League. The fans truly deserve it,"said Israeli international Dudu Aouate in a press conference on Friday after the committee in Nyon handed the club their unfortunate fate.  

According to UEFA.com the club did not fulfill the requirements that are set forth by Article 2.07 of the Regulations of the UEFA Europa League.  The Board mentioned the fact that RCD Mallorca did not obtain their licensing  

"To be eligible to participate in the competition, a club must fulfill the following criteria: c) it must have obtained a licence issued by the competent national body in accordance with the UEFA Club Licensing Regulations (2008 edition) and be included in the list of licensing decisions to be submitted by this body to the UEFA administration by the given deadline;"- Article 2.07c of the Regulations of UEFA Europa League

Mallorca fans far and wide showed their repudiation towards the decision and plan a series of manifestations in the island starting on Tuesday. The club look to have an appeal ready within the 72 hour time window that is allowed by UEFA for these types of decisions.

 In other news, Mallorca will face Dutch side Feyenoord on Sunday as part of Giovanni Van Bronckhorst's tribute match in Rotterdam.

Mallorca in flames after UEFA decision

It's been 48 years since Atlético Madrid last won an international trophy. Since then, it's been heartache for the Colchonero faithful.

That all changed when Diego Forlán scored his second goal of the night helping the Rojiblancos over Cinderella side Fulham. That goal exorcised almost a half century of curses, hexes, and jinxes.

"I'm excited. It's been a difficult season. It was an opportunity that history was giving us and it will be difficult for it to ever come again," said an nearly hoarse Quique Sánchez Flores.

Forlan brace lifts Atletico hex

Meant in the nicest possible way, of course, but bemused non-Anglophiles across Europe must be asking who exactly are Atletico Madrid playing in the final of the Europa league this evening?

Based in West London, with illustrious neighbours Chelsea clinching the Premiership last weekend, Fulham FC have reached the final of the Europa League in the unlikeliest style, beating the German champions Wolfsberg, Hamburg and famously Juventus). They have relatively little finance, a small ground and few fashionable players, none of whom have made Fabio Capello’s 30-man preliminary World Cup squad.

Fulham are certainly one of the smaller clubs in the English Premiership and have only been in it since 2001. Their best season ever was the 2008/9 season when they finished 7^th in the league, and this season have come a modest 12^th. Only two seasons ago, they looked set to be relegated with only 15 minutes of the season left, before staging a remarkable comeback.

The architect of recent successes has to be Roy Hodgson, an experienced manager abroad (Inter, twice, Malmo, Copenhagen, Grasshoppers and the Swiss national team) but with relatively little time spent managing in the UK - there have even been those who have referred to his “needing to prove himself in England”. In reality, his influence on the club has been enormous, buying well in the transfer market and balancing sensitive man-management with instilling a sense of self-belief in his team.

Up front, Fulham have an in-form Bobby Zamora, who has proved to be an almighty handful in Europe this season (his first half performance against Nesta in the second leg, was so uncomfortable for the World Cup winning captain that he eventually received a red card). Extremely unlucky not to be going to the World Cup this year, he has in the past been pretty erratic, prompting one of my favourite terrace chants to the tune of “That’s Amore”

When the ball hits your head

And you’re sat in row z,

That’s Zamora!

Partnering him, Fulham have the much underrated Clint Dempsey who many are tipping to have a good World Cup with USA, and who scored that exquisite fourth goal in the now legendary victory over Juve at Craven Cottage. Other players to look out for tonight will be midfielder and captain, Danny Murphy, ex Liverpool and with bags of intelligence and experience in the middle, he also has the knack of scoring important goals; Damian Duff, Republic of Ireland winger will also be an important attacking force this evening. Ex-Chelsea and Newcastle, he’s lost some of the pace he used to have but has adapted his game cleverly.

Apart form that there really are no stars in this Fulham side which has proved to be their strength over a never-ending campaign that has actually outlasted their Premiership season (their first qualifier was in July). They are a team with enormous spirit and a commitment that few can rival. Although Atletico possess all the European pedigree, their own form is not impressive (three wins in Europe all season…) and they will know that overcoming Liverpool in the semis does not guarantee them a result over Hodgson’s battle-hardened travellers.

Europa League final: Who are ya? Who are ya?

F.C. Barcelona has reached an agreement with Valencia on the transfer of the Spanish International David Villa. The 28 year old had been tempted by Real Madrid this past summer but no agreement was reached. The announcement will be made after the completion of La Liga and it will be the last signing of Joan Laporta as president of the Institution.

It was mentioned that the operation was sealed for 40 Million Euros, however, rumors state that Barcelona paid 30 Million Euros, plus Bojan Kric and Alexander Hleb.
The main reason behind this signing is that Ibrahimovic has not yet displayed the desired level, and Barca have not ruled out the opportunity of selling him (Manchester City made an inquire).

Barcelona opens the transfer market

The Copa del Rey returns to the Camp Nou (Concept Sports)

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The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced that the final of the Copa del Rey will take place at the Camp Nou in Barcelona.

According to Catalan daily La Vanguardia final is scheduled to be played on May 19th. There is also an alternate date of May 13th in the event Atlético Madrid do not reach the final of the Europa League to held in Hamburg on May 12th.

This will be the third time that the final of the Copa del Rey will take place at the Camp Nou for the third time since its was inaugurated back in 1957. It is also the first time in 40 years that it is held there. Barcelona won the title back in 1963 by beating Zaragoza 3-1. In 1970, Real Madrid would crown themselves champions as they defeated Valencia 3-0.

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Copa del Rey final to take place at the Camp Nou

The first edition of this Europa League will have some captivating matchups in the quarterfinals as the road to Hamburg heats up.

Valencia - Atlético
The all-Spanish affair will have a great deal of fanfare east side of the Iberian penninsula. Both sides are out of the La Liga race and their respective form has been suspect to say the least. Unwilling to be overshadowed by Barcelona, Atlético are poised to finish an inconsistent season with a double. Something that Colchonero fans haven't seen since 1995 when they last won the league and the Copa del Rey. For Atlético they will have a hectic run as they will play the final of the Copa del Rey against Sevilla just four days after they return from Hamburg, should they get that far.
Valencia want to be the first Europa League winners. They would become the first team to win the tournament in its three formats. They won the tournament twice when it was called the Fairs Cup (1961-62, 1962-63) and when it was called the UEFA Cup (2004).

Benfica vs. Liverpool
It's been 20 years since Benfica last were in a final of an international tournament; 48 since they last won one. Not since the Eusebio glory years have Benfica lifted silverware outside of their own country. This current side under Jorge Jesus have demonstrated that they are one of the most explosive young teams in all of Europe. With the Argentine trio of Javier Saviola, Ángel Di María, and Pablo Aimar leading the way along with Paraguayan international Oscar Cardozo, As Aguilas are about to run away with the Portuguese SuperLiga and they are hungry for more.

Liverpool might savor this trophy a little more than usual for two reasons:

• They would become the first team to win this tournament four times (the Fairs Cup is not considered an official event by UEFA). They alongside Juventus and Inter are the only teams to have won this event three time under the old UEFA Cup format.
• It would salvage the season. Liverpool have gone through a nightmarish season to say the least in the Premiership. This win could take the sting off of the domestic drought in which two generations of Reds fans have not seen a Premiership trophy lifted at Anfield.

Hamburg-Standard
For well over the past decade Belgian football has been down in the dumps as far as their level in Europe is concerned. After an eternity of not making it far in the Champions League and not reaching the UEFA Cup

Hamburg look to return to prominence after not having won European silverware in over 27 years. They could be one of the frontrunners if you take into account the fact that they have one of the most fearsome forward tandems in Ruud Van Nistlerooy and Paolo Guerrero.
Fulham-Wolfsburg
If there is an affair that could be exciting, it is this one. Fulham are coming off an incredible come from behind win against Juventus at Craven Cottage and that could be the match that light the fire under them. With an in-form Zoltan Gera and a brilliant Bobby Zamora as well as Clint Dempsey coming off the bench, Roy Hodgson's side could become the darlings of this tournament.

The reigning German champs have been able to avoid the relegation shadows after they were eliminated from the Champions League. Now with a revived Obafemi Martins along with the usual cast of characters, Wolfsburg could be up to their 2009 tricks again.

Europa League quarter draw

Wednesday

Timisoara 1-2 Ajax
Anderlecht 0-1 NK Dinamo
Valencia 2-1 Lille
Slavia Praha 0-0 Genoa
Celtic 2-0 Hapoel Tel-Aviv
Hamburg 2-0 Rapid Wien
Salzburg 2-1 Lazio
Levski Sofia 0-2 Villarreal
FC Sheriff 1-1 Steaua Bucharest
BATE Borisov 1-2 Benfica
AEK Athens 0-1 Everton

Thursday

Ventspils 0-1 Hertha Berlin
Sporting Lisbon 1-1 Heerenveen
Fulham 1-0 Levski Sofia
AS Roma 2-1 FC Basel
Galatasaray 1-0 Panathinaikos
Dinamos Bucharest 0-0 Sturm
Shakhtar Donetsk 0-0 Brugge
Toulouse 1-0 FK Partizan
PSV 1-0 Sparta Praha
Copenhagen 2-0 Cluj
Austria Wien 0-3 Athletic Blibao
Werder Bremen 4-1 Nacional

Group A

Team
Pts.
Ajax*
11
Anderlecht
8
Dinamo Zagreb
6
Timisoara
2


Group B


Team
Pts.
Hamburg*
10
Maccabi Tel-Aviv*
9
Genoa
5
Slavia Praha
4


Group C


Team
Pts.
Hamburg*
10
Hapoel Tel-Aviv
9
Celtic
5
Rapid Wien
4


Group D


Team
Pts.
Sporting Lisbon*
11
Hertha Berlin
7
Heerenveen
5
Ventspils
3





Group E


Team
Pts.
AS Roma
10
Basel
9
Fulham
8
CSKA Sofia
1


Group F


Team
Pts.
Galatasaray*
13
Panathinaikos
9
Dinamo Bucharest
6
Sturm
1


Group G


Team
Pts.
Salzburg*
15
Anderlecht
9
Lazio
6
Levski
0


Group H


Team
Pts.
Fenerbahce*
12
Twente
7
Sheriff
5
Steaua Bucharest
3





Group I


Team
Pts.
Benfica*
11
Everton*
9
BATE
4
AEK Athens
4


Group J


Team
Pts.
Shakhtar Donetsk*
13
Brugge
8
Toulouse
7
Partizan
0


Group K


Team
Pts.
PSV*
11
Copenhagen
7
Sparta Praha
7
Cluj
3


Group L


Team
Pts.
Werder Bremen
13
Athletic Bilbao
10
Nacional
2
Austria Wien
2

Europa League scores and standings