PRESS KITS Group stage - Group H - Matchday 5 Wednesday, 15 December 2004 - 21:45 (local time) Spyros Louis - Athens (Maroussi)

AEK ATHENS FC TSV

MATCH OFFICIALS Referee Sergey Shebek (UKR) Assistant referees Aleksandr Zhurba (UKR), Taras Klym (UKR) Fourth official Sergiy Berezka (UKR) UEFA delegate Kazimierz Oleszek (POL)

MATCH BACKGROUND Aachen to make qualification bid TSV Alemannia Aachen, who play their club football in Germany's 2. , are still in contention for a place in the UEFA Cup knockout phase after a fine introduction to European football in their first season in UEFA club competitions.

Victory required After reaching to the group stage, the DFB-Pokal finalists find themselves needing a win against bottom- of-the-table AEK Athens FC to make further progress. Aachen became a German representative in the UEFA Cup after a 3-2 German Cup final loss to Werder Bremen, who won the League and Cup double and thus took a UEFA Champions League place. Observers said that Aachen deserved a European place for beating FC Bayern München (1-0) and VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach (2-1) in the latter stages on their way to the final.

Notable scalp Marshalled by former Liverpool FC and Dutch international Erik Meijer, and some former Bundesliga stalwarts, Aachen gained a notable scalp in LOSC Lille Métropole in their opening Group H game with Meijer’s winner, before losing at Sevilla FC (2-0). The Germans then regained confidence and a point from FC Zenit St. Peterburg in a 2-2 draw, with another Meijer goal and a face-saver from Stefan Blank. Qualification for the next stage would be an ideal way to celebrate the club’s 104th birthday, which falls this week.

Useful record Although eliminated, AEK will want to maintain a useful record against German clubs. The Athens club have won two ties against German clubs and lost twice. Their opening matches in the first round of the 1982/83 UEFA Cup did not go well, with opponents 1. FC Köln winning both legs for a 6-0 aggregate win. But George Savvides was the star of AEK’s next meeting with a German club. In the first round of the 1989/90 European Champion Clubs’ Cup, AEK lost the first leg at 1. FC Dynamo Dresden 1-0, but two Savvides goals took them to a 5-3 return leg win on the night and 5-4 on aggregate. Borussia Mönchengladbach then defeated AEK in both legs of the 1995/96 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup to win 5-1 on aggregate, but AEK then levelled on ties at 2-2 with a win over Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the third round of the 2000/01 UEFA Cup. After a 4-4 draw in Germany thanks to goals from Vasilios Lakis (5 minutes), Fernando Navas (46 and 79), and Vasilios Tsiartas (55), Navas and Tsiartas then scored again in the return leg to bring AEK a 6-4 aggregate win. AEK might wish to call on Tsiartas, one of the Greek heroes of their UEFA EURO 2004™ success, for he recently signed for Köln, which is almost the next exit on the motorway from Aachen!

State of play: Group H Sevilla FC and LOSC Lille Métropole meet on matchday five having both already qualified, and they will be joined by TSV Alemannia Aachen if the German club win away to AEK Athens FC, who are already

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out. If Aachen draw, FC Zenit St. Peterburg, who have completed their fixtures, advance instead on goal difference.

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PLAYERS PROFILES AEK Athens FC Goalkeepers No Name Nat. DoB 1 Chrisostomos Mihailidis GRE 15.01.1975 Has been with AEK Athens FC since 1997, and was on loan at Ethnikos Asteras FC in 2001/02...upon return he has held down the first team role at AEK for the past season. 12 Ioannis Arabatzis GRE 28.05.1984 Signed in summer 2002 from amateur club EAP Makrohoriou...No 3 goalkeeper at AEK Athens FC. 22 Dionisios Chiotis GRE 04.06.1977 Was No 1 goalkeeper at AEK Athens FC from 2001-03 and was in the national squad and capped under national coach Otto Rehhagel...but now lost his place to Chrisostomos Mihailidis. Defenders No Name Nat. DoB 2 Efstathios Kappos GRE 31.07.1979 4 Bruno Alves POR 27.11.1981 On loan from FC Porto for the season...U21 international, and represented Portugal at 2004 Olympics at Athens...Porto signed him from Guimarães-based Vitória SC. 5 Nikolaos Kostenoglou GRE 03.10.1970 Ten years with AEK Athens FC and has played three seasons of UEFA Champions League football...signed from Xanthi FC...has won four Greek Cup medals and capped once in 1996 versus Israel. 14 Stavros Giorgiopoulos GRE 15.08.1978 16 Nikolaos Georgeas GRE 27.12.1976 18 Evangelos Moras GRE 26.08.1981 Greek U21 international who can play in defence or midfield...joined AEK Athens FC in summer 2003 from Proodeftiki FC...played well in last season’s UEFA Champions League. 24 Christos Kontis GRE 13.05.1975 Joined AEK Athens FC, the club he supported as a boy, in summer 2004 after playing for Ethnikos Asteras FC, Olympiacos CFP and Panionios NFC...won two Greek championships with Olympiacos in 2001 and 2002. 25 Kofi Amponsah GHA 23.04.1978 Ghanaian international who has been playing in Greece since 1998...signed for AEK Athens FC in summer 2003...played for Olympiacos CFP during the 1999/2000 season and then followed coach Dusan Bajevic to FC PAOK Thessaloniki. 39 Grigorios Toskas GRE 08.01.1983 Another AEK Athens FC player at home in defence or midfield...is from the AEK youth academy...father played for AEK in the 1970s. Midfielders No Name Nat. DoB 8 Ivan Rusev BUL 10.05.1979 Left-sided midfielder and former Bulgarian U21 international..has been in Greece since 2000 and signed for AEK Athens FC in 2003..free-kick expert. 9 Milen Petkov BUL 12.01.1974 Career lately undermined by injuries...44 caps for Bulgaria and played twice at UEFA EURO 2004™ finals...signed for AEK Athens FC in 2000, and has won two Greek Cup medals in 2000 and 2002. 10 Sotirios Konstantinidis GRE 19.04.1977 Progressed from the team that reached the final of the UEFA European U21 Championship in 1998 to winning three full caps...has been with AEK Athens FC since 1999 when he signed from Iraklis FC...has degree in dentistry. 15 Dimitrios Koutsikos GRE 01.01.1984 First season in first team squad...from the AEK Athens FC youth academy. 21 Konstantinos Katsouranis GRE 21.06.1979 Started in five of the six games in the Greek success at UEFA EURO 2004™, and was sub in the other game...16 caps...joined the club in 2002 from Panahaiki FC to replace Akis Zikos who moved to AS Monaco FC. 30 Asimakis Krassas CYP 10.07.1982 Joined AEK Athens FC in summer 2004 from Cypriot club AEL Limassol FC in prefernce to Panathinaikos FC...U21

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international for Cyprus who has just made the full national team. 32 Christos Tzevas GRE 08.06.1985 Attacking midfielder, who made his league debut last season...graduated from the AEK Athens FC youth academy. 77 Paulo Assunção BRA 25.01.1980 Like Bruno Alves, he is on loan from FC Porto for the season, after Porto’s coaching changes...signed by the UEFA Champions League winners during the 2004 off-season from CD Nacional, and immediately loaned out. Forwards No Name Nat. DoB 7 Alessandro Soares BRA 05.02.1973 Has played in Greece since summer 1997, and joined AEK Athens FC from OFI Crete FC in summer 2004…was at Kalamata FC from 1997-2001 and OFI from 2001-04 and has played over 150 league games. 11 Leonidas Kampantais GRE 08.03.1982 Signed in summer 2004 from Aris Thessaloniki FC after 16 league games and three goals for the northern Greek club...league debut in December 2002. 20 Elias Solakis GRE 15.12.1974 Much travelled forward who has been playing league football since 1994...joined from Panionios NFC in 2003...played for APOEL FC in the Cypriot league in 2001/02 scoring 15 goals...has had five loan spells in Greece. 28 Christos Bourmpos GRE 01.06.1983 33 Nikos Lyberopoulos GRE 04.08.1975 Full international with 39 caps but not part of coach Otto Rehhagel’s current plans...ten years in Greek league, he signed for AEK Athens FC from Panathinaikos FC in 2003...Hellenic National League top scorer in 2002/03 with 16 goals. Coach No Name Nat. DoB Fernando Santos POR 10.10.1954

TSV Alemannia Aachen Goalkeepers No Name Nat. DoB 1 Stephan Straub GER 25.01.1971 15 Marcus Hesse GER 22.03.1984 24 Kristian Nicht GER 03.04.1982

Defenders No Name Nat. DoB 2 Franck Paulus GER 07.09.1978 3 Alexander Klitzpera GER 19.10.1977 4 Thomas Hengen GER 22.09.1974 6 Wilfried Landgraf GER 29.08.1968 12 Moses Sichone ZAM 31.05.1977 17 Thomas Stehle GER 26.10.1980 33 Stefan Blank GER 10.03.1977 36 Raschid El Hammouchi GER 12.09.1981 Midfielders No Name Nat. DoB 5 Dennis Brinkmann GER 22.11.1978 7 Reiner Plasshenrich GER 12.12.1976 8 Simon Rolfes GER 21.01.1982 10 Ivan Petrovic YUG 11.01.1980

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21 Cristian Fiel ESP 12.03.1980 22 Kai Michalke GER 05.04.1976 27 Emil Noll GER 21.11.1978 34 Tom Moosmayer BEL 01.10.1979 Forwards No Name Nat. DoB 9 Daniel Gomez FRA 16.03.1979 11 Erik Meijer HOL 02.08.1969 13 Florian Bruns GER 21.08.1979 16 Christopher Iwelumo SCO 01.08.1978 18 Sergio Pinto GER 16.10.1980 20 Jens Scharping GER 16.07.1974 Coach No Name Nat. DoB Dieter Hecking GER 12.09.1964

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DOMESTIC FORMGUIDE

Aachen look for Athens triumph (Monday, 13 December 2004) The major issue to be decided in UEFA Cup Group H is the destination of the final qualifying berth with TSV Alemannia Aachen needing to beat bottom side AEK Athens FC in Greece to edge out FC Zenit St. Peterburg who have completed their fixtures. In France, the game between LOSC Lille Métropole and Sevilla FC will determine who tops the group.

Sevilla The Spanish team came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw at RC Deportivo La Coruña in dramatic circumstances as Julio Baptista headed an added-time equaliser. Carlitos Dominguez had put Sevilla ahead but a spectacular strike from Sergio González and a Lionel Scaloni goal four minutes from time had swung things Depor's way. Portuguese striker Aziza Makukula remains sidelined with the knee injury suffered at the start of the year.

Lille Coming back from a one-goal deficit to defeat FC Nantes Atlantique 2-1 at home enabled Lille to close the gap on French Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyonnais to three points. Another bonus came with the absence of any injuries from the game.

Zenit Russian side Zenit lost just one of their four Group H matches and will qualify unless Aachen can win in Greece. They finished fourth in their domestic league.

Aachen The qualifying hopefuls lost a tight battle away to SpVgg Greuther Fürth 3-2 and with it conceded third place in the German 2. Bundesliga to their opponents. Aachen twice recovered from falling behind, with Cristian Fiel and Jens Scharping firing equalising goals, the second ten minutes from time. However, with seven minutes remaining Aachen conceded the winner as Sascha Rösler found the net. Coach Dieter Hecking sent on stalwart Willi Landgraf after the interval for Dennis Brinkmann, and Daniel Gomez replaced Kai Michalke late in the second half. Their first defeat in six games left Hecking with only the consolation that his team picked up no injuries.

AEK The Athens side have no chance of progressing to the next stage but they will be looking for their first points in the section when Aachen visit. Fernando Santos's team remain undefeated in the Greek league, drawing 1-1 away to Xanthi FC at the weekend. They suffered the blow of losing left-back Stavros Giorgiopoulos with a fractured leg and he will be sidelined for at least four months. Nikolaos Georgeas will take over from him, while striker Alessandre Soares and defender Kofi Abonsah are rated doubtful. Against that, Santos has both Nikos Kostenoglou and Christos Kontis back and can also call on Bruno Alves, who was suspended against Sevilla.

Aachen racking up victories (Monday, 6 December 2004) Qualified pair LOSC Lille Métropole and Sevilla FC go head to head next week to decide who will win UEFA Cup Group H, but the third qualification spot is still up for grabs, with TSV Alemannia Aachen hoping to push FC Zenit St. Peterburg out of the picture. uefa.com rounds up the weekend's domestic news from Group H.

Aachen German 2. Bundesliga side Aachen have lost just once at home in all competitions this season and maintained that record with a 3-1 win against SV Wacker Burghausen on Sunday to climb third. Erik Meijer and Daniel Gomez were among the goalscorers for Aachen, who can clinch a place in the UEFA Cup's last 32 if they defeat the section's bottom side AEK Athens FC next week. Sergio Pinto will miss the trip to Greece through suspension after his red card against Zenit last week, but striker Florian Bruns

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and defender Franck Paulus are both back in training and could feature.

AEK Although eliminated from the UEFA Cup, AEK are second in Greece and could have been top of the pile had they not conceded an 80th-minute equaliser against PAOK FC on Sunday. AEK were without Kofi Amponsah (ankle), centre-half Nikolaos Kostenoglou (thigh) and the league's top scorer Alessandre Soares (meniscus), who could all miss the visit of Aachen next Wednesday, when back-up striker Elias Solakis will celebrate his 30th birthday.

Lille Lille drew 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain FC at the Parc des Princes on Saturday to remain second in Ligue 1, Mathieu Bodmer scoring their goal. Provided they emerge from next weekend's domestic meeting with FC Nantes Atlantique unscathed, Lille will have no injury worries going into their final Group H game against Sevilla FC. A draw will be enough to send Claude Puel's side through in top spot.

Sevilla Sevilla need to win to usurp Lille from first place and warmed up with a 2-0 win against Athletic Club Bilbao, their sixth home win in seven Primera División games. Julio Baptista and Carlitos scored the goals for Sevilla, who will not be able to call on the services of injured striker Ariza Makukula (knee) until early in the new year.

Zenit Russian side Zenit lost just one of their four Group H matches and will qualify unless Aachen can win in Greece. They finished fourth in their domestic league, missing out on the automatic UEFA Cup place that comes with third position by the narrow margin of their inferior head-to-head record with FC Krylya Sovetov Samara.

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DOMESTIC LEAGUE DETAILS AEK Athens FC (Ethniki Kategoria) Results Standings Date Match Res R Clubs Pld W D L GF GA Pts 07.11.2004 AEK - Olympiacos 0 - 0 1 Olympiacos 11 8 2 1 22 5 26 21.11.2004 Ergotelis - AEK 0 - 1 2 Panathinaikos 11 7 2 2 18 5 23 28.11.2004 AEK - Halkidona 1 - 0 3 AEK 11 6 5 0 16 6 23 05.12.2004 PAOK - AEK 1 - 1 4 Egaleo 11 3 7 1 8 6 16 11.12.2004 Xanthi - AEK 1 - 1 5 Xanthi 11 4 4 3 14 13 16 6 OFI 11 4 3 4 17 15 15 7 Halkidona 11 4 3 4 13 12 15 Fixtures 8 Panionios 11 4 3 4 7 10 15 Date Match 9 Ionikos 11 4 3 4 8 11 15 19.12.2004 AEK - OFI 10 PAOK 11 3 4 4 11 17 13 29.12.2004 Ionikos - AEK 11 Iraklis 11 4 1 6 11 15 13 09.01.2005 AEK - Panathinaikos 12 Kallithea 11 3 3 5 15 17 12 16.01.2005 Kalamarias - AEK 13 Kerkira 11 3 2 6 10 14 11 23.01.2005 AEK - Egaleo 14 Kalamarias 11 2 4 5 7 11 10 15 Aris 11 1 6 4 9 14 9 16 Ergotelis 11 1 2 8 6 21 5

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REFEREE Sergey Shebek (UKR) Date of birth: 14.06.1960

Referee has never refereed a match between clubs of the countries of the two clubs of this match

ALL-TIME STATISTICS Head-to-head record No matches have been played between the two clubs

Home teams record versus clubs from the away teams country Date Competition Stage Match Res Venue 29.09.1982 UCUP R1 AEK - Köln 0-1 Nea Philadelfia, Athens 06.10.1982 UCUP R1 Köln - AEK 5-0 Cologne 13.09.1989 UCL R1 Dresden - AEK 1-0 Dresden 27.09.1989 UCL R1 AEK - Dresden 5-3 Athens 19.10.1995 UCWC R2 Mönchengladbach - AEK 4-1 Mönchengladbach 02.11.1995 UCWC R2 AEK - Mönchengladbach 0-1 Nea Philadelfia 23.11.2000 UCUP R3 Leverkusen - AEK 4-4 Leverkusen 07.12.2000 UCUP R3 AEK - Leverkusen 2-0 Nea Philadelfia, Athens Overall record AEK Athens FC Pld: 8, W: 2, D: 1, L: 5, GS: 12, GA: 19

Away teams record versus clubs from the home teams country Away club has never played against clubs of the country of the home team

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RECORD IN EUROPE AEK Athens FC AP Pld W D L GF GA European Champions Clubs' Cup / UEFA Champions 12 52 12 18 22 59 82 League UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 6 22 10 3 9 33 27 UEFA Cup 15 73 29 14 30 115 111 UEFA Super Cup 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UEFA Intertoto Cup 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 33 147 51 35 61 207 220 TSV Alemannia Aachen AP Pld W D L GF GA European Champions Clubs' Cup / UEFA Champions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 League UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UEFA Cup 1 5 2 2 1 8 5 UEFA Super Cup 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 UEFA Intertoto Cup 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 1 5 2 2 1 8 5

LEGEND European Champions Clubs' Cup / UEFA F: Final(s) ECCC: Champions League GS: Group stage UCWC: UEFA Cup Winners' Cup GS1: First group stage UCUP: UEFA Cup GS2: Second group stage UIC: UEFA Intertoto Cup PR: Preliminary round SCUP: UEFA Super Cup QF: Quarter-finals AP: Appearances QR: Qualifying round DoB: Date of birth QR1: First qualifying round D: Drawn QR2: Second qualifying round GA: Goals against QR3: Third qualifying round GF: Goals for R1: First round L: Lost R2: Second round Pld: Matches played R3: Third round Nat.: Nationality R4: Fourth round No: Number SF: Semi-finals W: Won

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