UEFAdirect-89•E 18.8.2009 15:06 Page 1 9.09 EnglandEngland winwin thethe EuropeanEuropean Women’sWomen’s U19U19 ChampionshipChampionship 0404 FirstFirst EuropeanEuropean U19U19 titletitle forfor UkraineUkraine 0606 SolidaritySolidarity paymentspayments forfor youthyouth playerplayer developmentdevelopment 1212 No 58 89 – Février September 2007 2009 UEFAdirect-89•E 18.8.2009 15:06 Page 2 Message Photos: uefa-pjwoods.ch of the president More than just the start of another season A new European club competition season has begun – and already ended for the many clubs which did not make it through the qualifying stages and have had to put their dreams of success on hold for another year. For the rest – for Europe’s top clubs, as well as for all the fans – it is not just another new season that has got under way, but one that has the added value of being a bit different as a result of changes made to the UEFA club competitions. In the UEFA Champions League, the format may not have changed, but access to the competition has been extended and a dual qualifying route introduced for getting to the group stage. These two changes made the qualifying matches more interesting by increasing the chances of many champion clubs, which did not have to fear encountering a club from one of the “big associations” along the way, while for some of the clubs from the big associations, the play-offs may have been IN THIS ISSUE a tough test but also presented them with an exciting challenge. With its new format of groups of four teams, the UEFA Europa League England win the European Women’s U19 Championship 04 is well set to meet the expectations created by its new identity and, more than ever, it should serve as the ideal platform for clubs that are new to the top European First European U19 title for Ukraine 06 football scene. A study into the causes We still have a long way to go until the week-long festival of football of crisis in football 08 in Madrid which will conclude this promising 2009/10 season. Between now and Progress of women’s then, we can look forward to some exciting matches and, no doubt, some of the football in Malta 10 surprises, tense moments and brilliance that give football its magic. Let us also hope UEFA Champions League that the season is characterised by fair play, by respect for the Laws of the Game, contribution to youth player development 12 the opposition and the supporters, and by financial fair play, with clubs managing within their means. News from member associations 15 In pictures: construction of the new UEFA annexe 22 Michel Platini COVER UEFA President A double achievement for Ukraine, who hosted the final round of the European Under-19 Championship for the first time and went on to win it, thereby achieving their first victory in a UEFA national team competition. Photo: Sportsfile 02 uefadirect 9.09 UEFAdirect-89•E 18.8.2009 15:06 Page 3 A full calendar for Europe’s top teams Norway’s Morten Pedersen scores against Scotland from a free kick. By winning the match, Norway have kept alive their chances of qualifying for the World Cup finals in a group where competition for second place – behind the Netherlands, who have already qualified – is very close. PA Wire/PAPA Images WHILE EUROPE’S TOP CLUBS ARE EMBARKING ON A NEW UEFA CLUB COMPETITION a foretaste of the decisive matches in SEASON, THE CONTINENT’S SENIOR NATIONAL TEAMS ARE PREPARING TO ENTER September and October. THE HOME STRAIGHT IN THE QUALIFYING COMPETITION FOR THE 2010 WORLD CUP. So far, only the Netherlands have already qualified for the 2010 As has been the tradition Monaco with the draws to determine World Cup, but other teams, such as since 1998, the world of European the composition of the groups for the England and Spain, are in a very strong club football is gathering in Monaco UEFA Champions League and, this year position. And while others can no longer at the end of August, where the for the first time, the UEFA Europa hope to qualify directly by winning their winners of this year’s UEFA Champions League, which takes over from the groups, the competition for second League final, FC Barcelona, and their UEFA Cup. place is still wide open. counterparts in the last ever UEFA Before the talk about the Last but not least in this run- Cup, Shakhtar Donetsk, will face each draws and the teams’ chances in the down of events for supporters in Europe other at the principality’s Stade Louis II UEFA club competitions has broken off, and further afield to look forward to, for the UEFA Super Cup match, which all eyes will be turning to the national the final round of the European Women’s bridges the old and the new UEFA teams and the qualifying matches for Championship is currently in full swing club competition seasons. next year’s World Cup finals in South in Finland and making a further contri- The new season kicks off Africa. The qualifiers actually resumed bution to the remarkable growth in officially at the Grimaldi Forum in in August, with five matches providing popularity of women’s football. 03 UEFAdirect-89•E 18.8.2009 15:06 Page 4 Norway The Sofia came semi-final Jakobsson up against between of Sweden a very England and was the well-organised Switzerland tournament’s Icelandic turned leading side. to England’s scorer with advantage. five goals to her name. Sportsfile Sportsfile Sportsfile the way. For others it was a cloudy spell. The major talking point was the exit of Women’s Under-19 Germany, beaten in a semi-final penalty shootout by Norway in 2008 and, this time, eliminated in the group phase for the first time since the birth of the com- Championship petition. Once again, the margin of their elimination was desperately slim and a magnifying glass had to be applied to Belarus break the ice the regulations to confirm that, in the three-way tie on six points, their head- HISTORY WAS MADE IN JULY (FROM 13 TO 25) WHEN to-head record left them in third place BELARUS MADE THEIR DEBUT ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE behind France and Switzerland. The crux of the matter had BY HOSTING THE FINAL ROUND OF THE EUROPEAN been a 3-0 win for Switzerland against WOMEN’S UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP – AND ENGLAND ALSO the Germans which sent ripples through MADE HISTORY BY WINNING IT. the tournament. Yannick Schwery had adopted a novel approach to preparing As the hosts discovered, the Under-19 finals and might have his squad for the trip to Belarus. Aware organising a final round and playing been expected to send the hosts home that most of his players had recently in it are two different things. On the with long faces. emerged from exams and/or a full pitch, the Belarusian girls suffered league season, he had told them to take from opening-night nerves, conceded Enriching experience a two-week break from football. And, four goals in the first half against Far from it. Dmitry Shevchuk in Minsk, the emphasis was on rest Switzerland, and, six days later, had and his players focused on the positives. and recovery rather than heavy training the misfortune to end the group And there were plenty. The team’s schedules. The policy paid off with a phase with a fixture against a German debut had helped them to learn invalu- fresh-looking team beating the hosts side bent on healing wounded pride. able lessons about the qualities required 4-1 before posting the historic win Maren Meinert’s team did so with to compete at top level. More impor- against Germany, with the attacking a 9-0 victory that set a new record for tantly, the matches played in Minsk, partnership of Ana Maria Crnogorcevic Molodechno and Borisov attracted an and Ramona Bachmann catching the audience of over 40,000 (almost 250% eye. After the latter had rounded off more than the previous year) and, allied a 35-metre slalom by putting the Swiss with media coverage, added up to a 2-0 up, German coach Maren Meinert major promotion of women’s football. remarked “at times it seemed like Bach- Off the pitch, the host association found mann against the whole of our defence that organising a final round was such and they couldn’t stop her – which an enriching experience that promises was disappointing.” were made to apply for other UEFA finals The other disappointment was in the not too distant future. knowing that if France won their final The visitors certainly had no fixture, Germany would be rearranging complaints about levels of hospitality. homeward flights – unless the Swiss Nor about the playing and training were beaten by a hatful of goals. In the facilities – the latter at the national asso- event, the hat was filled with goals ciation’s magnificent complex on the by the frustrated German team in their outskirts of Minsk, where the pitches match against the hosts, while the French remained in top condition during the took top spot in the group with a hard- sweltering temperatures of the opening fought 2-0 victory over the Swiss. week and the stormy conclusion to the tournament which led to periods of Places for the FIFA Under-20 Brushko/Bongarts/Getty Images flooding in the streets of the capital. World Cup In the other group, the surprise Sunshine or clouds was the elimination of Norway, the 2008 Germany’s Svenja Hut (9) looks physically Events on the pitch matched the stronger than Switzerland’s Sarah Steinmann silver medallists.