Euro blow for Fulham as they lose bid to move Arsenal clash

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Last night's 1-0 defeat to Stoke City was their fifth match in 14 days and their 61st of an exhausting campaign, which started back in July with a Euro qualifier in Lithuania.

Fulham had asked for their clash at Emirates Stadium to be brought forward 24 hours but the League's insistence that the final round of this season's matches are all played on Sunday hands an advantage to Atletico Madrid.

The Spaniards, Fulham's opponents in Hamburg next Wednesday, play on Saturday night when they take on struggling Sporting Gijon.

A Fulham spokeswoman said: "It would have been much better for us if we could have had an extra day's preparation. We made the case but we were refused. We are disappointed but we accept the decision."

Although the domestic match has little bearing for Fulham, a defeat for third-placed Arsenal and a Tottenham victory at Burnley would see them swap places in the table. Crucially, that would mean the Gunners playing a Champions League play-off while Spurs would go straight into the group stages.

The League defended their decision and said in a statement: "Given it was the final day of the season, when we always play all our matches at the same time for reasons of integrity, and being mindful of the travel plans supporters will have made, the board felt it wasn't appropriate to move the match."