5.05 UEFA Congress in Tallinn 03 Austria in the run-up to EURO 2008 06 European Cup: what became Supplement of the “pioneers”? 08 Draws 14 No. 37 – May 2005 No. 37 – May COVER IN THIS ISSUE Fifty years of the European Cup: Winners of the Champion Clubs’ Cup in what became of the “pioneers”? 08 1988, PSV Eindhoven (Philip Cocu rises above UEFA Congress in Tallinn 03 Lyon’s Mahamadou Diarra) have marked their Netherlands ready return to the top flight by qualifying for the Club competition finals for World Youth Championship 11 semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. in Paris and Eindhoven 05 Another Dutch club, AZ Alkmaar, have quali- Draws 14 fied for the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. EURO 2008: Austria in the spotlight 06 News from member associations 16 PHOTO: BONGARTS RememberEditorial and respond As fate would have it, the draw for the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League highlighted the twentieth anniversary of an event we will never forget. What happened on 29 May 1985 at the Heysel stadium in Brussels was the darkest hour in the history of the UEFA competitions. Disaster struck the final of the Champion Clubs’ Cup between Juventus and Liverpool before a ball had even been kicked, leaving 39 spectators dead and injuring many more during what should have been a celebration of football. Whilst this tragedy could have called into question the future of the major European football competitions, particularly the Champion Clubs’ Cup, it soon became clear that defeatism was not the best way to pay tribute to the victims. Football and the joy it brings its millions of supporters throughout the world was not at issue; instead a comprehensive review of the ways of tackling In a spirit of fair play, the problems associated with these big matches was required. Liverpool (Steven Gerrard) Consideration gave way to action and a series of measures and Juventus were meticulously drawn up, revised and implemented. Last year (Gianluigi Buffon) meet again. in Portugal, EURO 2004 proved that international cooperation between local and national governments, police forces and the governing bodies of football can go a long way in helping to create the sort of festival atmosphere that should be associated with football. Sharing that experience is another way of ensuring safety and security. In this respect, all the measures put into place for EURO 2004 have been catalogued and analysed, and are being made available to the organisers of similar large-scale events. We should also be able to apply what we have learnt about safety and security to another form of violence: racism. Before another tragedy is allowed to happen, comprehensive steps must be taken to stamp out this scourge which is completely alien to the spirit of football and its capacity to unite people. This would certainly be the best way of paying tribute to the Heysel victims. And here again, racism, like violence, has to be eliminated on the field of play first of all, with the players and coaches setting an example. Inappropriate behaviour on their part, even beside the pitch, can provoke supporters, and this kind of irresponsible attitude cannot be tolerated. Lars-Christer Olsson Chief Executive we care about football PA/EMPICS 02 uefadirect 5.05 29th Ordinary Congress Elections postponedin byTallinn one year UEFA ON 21 APRIL THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 52 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS Chief Executive, and was linked back to the present through the presen- MET FOR THE 29TH ORDINARY UEFA CONGRESS, THE FIRST TO BE HELD IN TALLINN, tation of the financial report by the AND INDEED THE FIRST IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION. Treasurer, Mathieu Sprengers. This report confirmed the healthy state of The past, the present and the with its geographical surroundings UEFA’s finances. The 2003/04 finan- short- and longer-term future were all by promoting youth training and the cial year generated revenue of more on the agenda of this general assem- integration of young players in their than CHF 1.8 billion and a net profit bly, which was opened by the UEFA local team. We are also doing our of a little over CHF 30 million after President, Lennart Johansson, who, in utmost to ensure that the European provisioning for solidarity (CHF 490 his opening speech, emphasised the Union authorities, which are rapidly million to finance the HatTrick project need to preserve the traditional values expanding and therefore becoming for four years) and security (CHF of football in a constantly changing more and more important, gain an 240 million to finance UEFA for three world: “We must ensure that we pre- increasingly clear understanding of years without European Champion- serve and promote the traditional the richness of football and how it ship finals). UEFA’s main source of values on which our sport and its can benefit society. In order that our income is in fact the European popularity are founded. Initiatives efforts might succeed, I would like to Championship (some 60%), with the such as the construction of numer- call for unity, since only concerted majority of income generated by the ous mini-pitches have already been efforts aimed at serving the general UEFA Champions League (72%) being taken in an effort to enable football interest can be successful.” redistributed to the participating to play its part in bringing people The past was addressed clubs. The 2003/04 financial state- together. We are also endeavouring through reports on the activities of ments and the 2005/06 budget to protect our sport’s identification the Executive Committee and the were approved. 03 The FIFA Representatives President, of the other Joseph confederations. S. Blatter. Indrek Kannik, President of the Estonian FA. Looking to the near future, the election of the UEFA President and six members of the Executive Com- mittee has been postponed by one year until 2007, after the approval of a proposal to hold these elections in odd-numbered years preceding the European Championship finals. The aim of this proposal is to syn- chronise the UEFA presidential elec- tion with that of FIFA, which decided ■ Honorary members Hans Bangerter, Egidius Braun, Des Casey and UEFA PHOTOS: Lucien Schmidlin attended the Congress, as did representatives of the other The UEFA Treasurer, Mathieu Sprengers, continental confederations. The FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter, was also had good news for the delegates. present at the Saku Suurhall in Tallinn, where he underlined the excellent collaboration between FIFA and UEFA, as well as the pivotal role played in 2003 no longer to elect its presi- by UEFA in the development of world football. “Football is pure hope, pure dent in the same year as the World emotion”, he continued, “and in today’s world, hope and emotion are essen- Cup finals, but the year after. Other tial.” The FIFA President also called for the strengthening of the role played confederations have already followed by the national associations, highlighting the relevance of the Top suit or will do so. In real terms, Executive Programme that UEFA is in the process of launching and which this means for UEFA that Lennart is designed to help reinforce the competence of the national associations. Johansson’s presidential term is extended until 2007, as are the terms of office of Senes Erzik, Angel Maria Villar Llona, Eggert Magnusson, Joseph Mifsud, Michel Platini and Giangiorgio Spiess. The terms of office of the other seven members are extended until 2009. The Congress also approved a change to the financial year, which from this year onwards will run from 1 July to 30 June the following year (as opposed to 1 August – 31 July). Honorary members Hans Bangerter, Lucien Schmidlin, Egidius Braun and Des Casey (left to right). UEFA Declaration of support ■ The Estonian Prime Minister, Andrus Ansip, came to pass on his gov- for local training ernment’s greetings to the delegates. He thanked UEFA for setting up its Moreover, the assembly assistance and solidarity programme, which had enabled Estonian football fully supported the measures pro- to develop. “Football is an important part of culture”, he concluded, “and posed by the Executive Committee it is therefore important to encourage the local training of players.” to encourage the local training of ■ The President of the Estonian Football Association, Indrek Kannik, players (cf. uefadirect March 2005) revealed that “no one wants European football to be like North American and issued a declaration to this sport”, and he also gave his support to the measures taken by UEFA, even effect. These measures will only though his association’s teams include very few foreign players. apply to UEFA competitions, where 04 uefadirect 5.05 Lennart After the Johansson Congress, and the delegates Lars-Christer spent the Olsson. afternoon at a FIFA seminar on international transfers. they will enter into force in the 2006/07 season, but the Executive Executive Committee Committee hopes that each national association will adopt similar meas- 2006 finals in Paris and Eindhoven ures for their own competitions. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HELD ITS SECOND MEETING OF THE YEAR Finally, as regards the longer- IN TALLINN, WITH LENNART JOHANSSON IN THE CHAIR, TWO DAYS BEFORE term future, i.e. the next decade, THE 29TH ORDINARY UEFA CONGRESS. Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson The Executive Committee was with 7 teams); the top two from presented a document defining deeply concerned by recent events each group will qualify for the UEFA’s strategy. Entitled “Vision which had tarnished the image of final round in Austria and Switzer- Europe”, it is based on three funda- European football, endangering the land, with the two host nations mental principles: safety of match officials, players qualifying automatically.