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Fulham manager Marco Silva lamented his team’s failure to capitalize on opportunities in their season-ending match against Manchester City. In a closely contested game, City took the lead with Ilkay Gündogan’s spectacular overhead kick, followed by a penalty converted by Erling Haaland in the second half. Fulham’s inability to be clinical in front of goal ultimately cost them a better result.
Marco Silva said: “Definitely not the way we wanted to end the season at home. The aim was clear – to end on a high after the last result against Brentford in the derby. Of course, we wanted to keep the momentum and to give the fans a different score, different result in the last game of the season, and thank them for their incredible support throughout the season. It was a game clearly that we were not clinical at all, and we were not ruthless. The chances that they created, they punished us.”
Silva continued: “First half, we had enough to have a different result, not be losing at half-time. Second half, a moment that we were reacting from the bench, trying to put some fresh legs inside and change some of the profiles of the players. We gave away a penalty – we were too naïve in that moment and killed a little bit our hopes in that moment of the game. Even so, the players fought until the end, but it was much more difficult.”
He added: “That type of moment, in certain areas of the pitch, like the 18 yard box, we have to be much more careful to not give that type of chance for them to take advantage from the moment, like Gündogan took in that situation. Overall, we did create the chances to get a different result – more possession, more control of the game, from City. We tried the second half to give some steps forward, to try to be more aggressive in our pressure. Some moments we did it, other moments was not possible.”
Silva concluded: “I’m not saying that City didn’t deserve to win, I’m not saying that, but probably the result should be different if we are clinical and ruthless in front of the goal.”
Despite the defeat, Silva acknowledged the overall success of Fulham’s season. The team narrowly missed out on a top-10 finish, slipping out of the top half due to Bournemouth’s victory elsewhere. Silva reflected on the positives, noting the club’s progress and achievements, including reaching the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
Silva said: “It was a great season. Hurts a little bit, I have to say, to not finish in the top half of the table, where we were the majority of the time throughout the season. In the future, and it has to be next season straightaway, if someone wants to break this tally of points, they are going to talk about this season, the 24/25 season. And that is one of the most important points of the season, because it’s for many reasons the Club never, ever achieved this before. To arrive again in Quarters-Finals of the FA Cup is another.”
He added: “Of course, I want more. I’m really ambitious, I’m never satisfied, but it’s just the way I deal with it. I have to say, really, that the season was a great one from the football club. Every time you are improving, you have to look for it as a successful one and as a progress. And this season was clearly a progress and improvement from the last one.”
Silva’s reflections highlight both the challenges and achievements of Fulham’s campaign, setting the stage for continued growth and ambition in the coming seasons.
