Roy Hodgson is sweating on the fitness of Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff ahead of the Europa League final. The duo face a race against time to keep alive their dreams of featuring in the biggest game in the Cottagers' history.
Hodgson is desperate to see the duo line up against Atletico Madrid in Hamburg, but admits there is a chance they might not make it.
Duff is currently working with an oxygen chamber in an effort to speed up his recovery from a knee problem, while Zamora may still require a pain-killing injection to get him through the game even if he overcomes the worst of his Achilles complaint.
Hodgson hopes both men will be in his starting XI next Wednesday, as he knows Fulham's chances of continental glory could rest on their ability to get their tricky winger and star striker out on the field.
"If Damien and Bobby are unable to play in the final it will be a major, major blow because they are players who have played a decisive part in getting us where we are today," said the experienced coach.
"Duff is outstanding. When the annals of Irish history are written, and there have been some good players over the years, he will be right up there with them. He'd have 100 caps already but for one or two serious injuries.
Right call"He's been the Damien I got to know as a young boy at Blackburn. Several people tried to dissuade me that he was a totally different player I was signing but I'm pleased to say they were wrong and I've been right.
"If anything he's a better player today because he was always very clever in his play but the 10 years of experience has not done him any harm.
"Damien Duff didn't come to Fulham for money, that's for sure. If he'd wanted serious money he would have stayed at Newcastle to see his contract out. He came here to play football."
Hodgson has also sought to play down any fears that Fulham will roll over in their final Premier League fixture of the season away at Arsenal on Sunday, insisting it is important they head into European action with a bit of momentum.
He said: "You only enjoy it if you play well. If Fulham go out and we play like we can and the players feel they have not left anything behind on the field, then we'll enjoy it.
"If there's any sense of 'We didn't perform today' or 'I didn't get to our normal standard' we would be very disappointed.
"As a manager to tell your players to enjoy games might be okay if you have a Sunday team of Under 11s, but when you get to serious football you have to forget that word enjoy. You enjoy victories and you hate defeats."
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