Gera Desperate To Play His Part

Gera has been an unlikely hero in Fulham's Europa League campaign, where they have seen off the likes of Juventus, Wolfsburg and UEFA Cup champions Shakhtar Donetsk to make the last four.

"For me it is the big one, I have not been involved in a game like this before," said Gera, who has 10 goals in 42 appearances so far this season.

"It's the biggest that I have ever been part of, and hopefully I will be involved. But it's not just an important one for me, but for everyone at the club.

"Hamburg are a good side, we know that, but so were Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus and Wolfsburg. We know that on our day we are more than a match for any side. So we'll go there with the belief that we can do well."

Fulham had planned to fly by private jet to the north German city on Wednesday morning and train at the 57,000 capacity HSH Nordbank on the night before the match.

While the journey would take little more than an hour by plane, should flights remain grounded, Roy Hodgson's team would have to either catch a ferry or train to mainland Europe and then endure an arduous journey by road or rail to Hamburg.

Meanwhile, Hodgson revealed after Sunday's 0-0 Barclays Premier League draw with Wolves that striker Erik Nevland would leave for Norwegian side Viking Stavanger at the end of the season.

Hodgson had hoped to tempt Nevland to stay at Craven Cottage with a new one-year deal but the 32-year-old has decided to return to the club where he started his career.

"He's a marvellous player, a fantastic professional and a very good footballer," said Hodgson of the former Manchester United forward. "He has played a major part in the success we have had in the two and a half years he has been at the club and I must congratulate Viking on the signing. He'll score lots of goals for them."

Source: PA

Source: PA