Lucescu tips Fulham in final straight

If it takes one to know one, then it is worth listening to Mircea Lucescu's claim that Fulham FC, the UEFA Europa League's surprise semi-finalists, can create a small piece of history during the next month.

Just as Lucescu guided his FC Shakhtar Donetsk side to their first European trophy by winning the UEFA Cup last May, so he can see another of the coaching fraternity's wise old heads, Englishman Roy Hodgson, pulling off a similar feat with a Fulham side who have never before won a major trophy.

Lucescu speaks from unhappy personal experience when he tips Fulham, Hamburger SV's semi-final opponents, to go all the way – after all it was the Premier League team who dethroned Shakhtar in the round of 32, winning 2-1 in London then earning a 1-1 draw in Ukraine.

There is also a historical omen, as Lucescu told UEFA.com. "The last time we were knocked out of the competition, we lost to Sevilla with an [Andrés] Palop goal and they went on to win the UEFA Cup. I think it can be the same thing and Fulham can win it."

Fulham are the one team among the final four never to have contested a European semi-final, yet Lucescu believes this is not a problem. "Fulham can do it even if they have to play against Liverpool or Atlético Madrid [in the final] because they have improved their game from one match to the next. They are much more powerful than at the beginning. They are a good, very organised team and have a very good coach.

"They can easily change the way they are playing. In the first leg against them, they played one kind of game, then in the second leg they played very well in defence. They were so well organised that it was impossible to score and they had a very good goalkeeper. Fulham based their game on team organisation and Hamburg will have a lot of problems qualifying against them."

The 64-year-old Romanian is two years Hodgson's senior and he is full of praise for his fellow sexagenarian: "I realise that Fulham are in this situation because Roy Hodgson is their coach. He is a strategist and a very tactical coach who has a good understanding with his players. He knows all about football and is experienced."

Lucescu knows just what it means to win a European trophy and describes last May's UEFA Cup triumph with Shakhtar as the high point of his career. "I have been a coach for 35 years, I eliminated Italy from Europe in 1984 [as Romania coach] and have had success in every country I have worked, but winning the UEFA Cup was the best thing in my life," he said.

"I'm speaking about club competitions because for the national team it was qualifying for France '84. But they were fantastic scenes [after Shakhtar defeated Werder Bremen]. It is one of the most difficult things a coach can do because winning match after match – there are 19 matches in one year – is not easy for anybody."

Lucescu himself is building a big history with Shakhtar, presently tied on points with leaders and eternal rivals FC Dynamo Kyiv at the Ukrainian Premier League summit. "We still have to play against them at home and because of this we have more of a chance than them," he said.

Win or lose the title, Lucescu is proud of his achievements in Donetsk. "Before I came, coaches lasted six months or one year maximum, but I have been here six years and next season will be my seventh. I think that is legendary already.

"We have won a lot of titles – the championship three times, the cup twice, two Super Cups and the UEFA Cup. And Shakhtar are becoming an important club in Europe. I think Shakhtar have a good future in European competitions."