EURO 2008 Final Draw in Lucerne Spain Retain Their
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UEFAdirect-69-Janvier•E:Anglais 17.12.2007 12:28 Page 1 1.0 8 Including EURO 2008 final draw in Lucerne 03 Spain retain their European futsal title 06 Changes to the UEFA club competitions 11 2010 World Cup qualifying groups 15 No 58 – Février 2007 69 January 2008 UEFAdirect-69-Janvier•E:Anglais 17.12.2007 12:11 Page 2 Message Photos: UEFA-pjwoods.ch of the president Keep dreaming The year is drawing to a close, the nights are getting longer and the festive season gives them that magical feel which is so conducive to dreams. This time last year, I had a dream. I dreamt about becoming UEFA President and, in January, the delegates of the national associations made my dream come true by electing me at the Congress in Düsseldorf. I still have dreams, lots of dreams, and they can also come true if we all join forces and make a determined effort. I dream that football will continue to fill everyday life with passion and emotion; that we will learn to consider it again as a game first and foremost and not as a source of profit; that the politicians will do everything in their power to allow the game to regulate itself, democratically and with appropriate legislation; that, out of the stadiums, a formidable surge of solidarity will emerge and that a wave of sportsmanship will sweep away racism and all forms of discrimination; that respect for others will prevail at all times; and, above all, that football will continue to make children’s eyes sparkle with wonder – something it does so well. IN THIS ISSUE I also have more clear-cut dreams, of course, and these focus to a great EURO 2008 match schedule 05 extent on the fast-approaching EURO 2008. Football draws its extraordinary magnetism from major international competitions, and I am positive that this European Spain reign as European futsal champions 06 Championship final round in Austria and Switzerland will add itself to the long list of The Fiorentina renaissance 08 great football festivals that, for a whole month, put our sport in the public spotlight and unite supporters of all nationalities and ages with one and the same passion. Elite club youth coaches in Cannes 10 One might say that the job of a president is not to dream, but to lead, to plan, to present visions. That is certainly true, but what is the point if he is not The new-look UEFA club competitions 11 inspired by an ideal? And my ideal is that football incites dreams, that it brightens Anti-violence conference everybody’s everyday lives, and that it makes young eyes sparkle with infectious in Brussels 13 enthusiasm. The 2010 World Cup I wish all of you a very happy new year. qualifying groups 15 News from member associations 16 COVER Michel Platini UEFA President At the December draw in Lucerne, we discovered the EURO 2008 group configurations and the official com - petition ball, the EUROPASS, is now ready to soar towards goals in the stadiums of Austria and Switzerland. Photomontage UEFA-pjwoods.ch 02 uefadirect 1.08 UEFAdirect-69-Janvier•E:Anglais 17.12.2007 12:11 Page 3 FinalEUROEURO draw 20082008 in takestakes Lucerne shapeshape Keystone IN JANUARY 2006, A DRAW IN MONTREUX SPLIT THE TEAMS OF 50 NATIONAL teams – where possible, the captains – were given the task of drawing the ASSOCIATIONS INTO SEVEN QUALIFYING GROUPS FOR EURO 2008. balls that would determine the EURO 2008 match schedule. Twenty-two months What is more, 12 of the 16 The criteria used to rank the later, at the end of No- EURO 2008 teams also appeared in participants for the draw – with the vember, the top two Portugal four years ago, which clearly exception of Switzerland and Austria in each qualifying group suggests a certain amount of stability who were automatically placed top were decided: among in the European football hierarchy. of Groups A and B – were the same as them were the four semi- those used in previous European finalists from the 2006 World Cup Classical music and gravitas Championships, i.e. the results secured (Italy, France, Germany and Portugal), On 2 December, delegations in the qualifying competitions for the six other European representatives from the 16 jubilant nations gathered last World Cup and the current Euro- from the global competition (Spain, in Lucerne to witness the draw that pean Championship. “With the 16 the Netherlands, Sweden, the Czech would determine who will play who. teams here, it would be impossible Republic, Poland and Croatia – plus At the Culture and Congress Centre, to get an easy group,” said Croatian Switzerland) and the European classical music and football alternated coach Slaven Bilic before the cere - Championship titleholders, Greece. throughout the solemn ceremony, mony, putting the influence of the draw The remaining finalists are Romania, which provided an opportunity to relive into perspective. In the same vain, Russia, Turkey, and co-hosts Austria moments from previous European UEFA President Michel Platini pointed who – like Poland – will compete championships, from the Nations’ Cup out that any team that aspired to be in their first ever European Champ - in 1960 to EURO 2004 in Portugal. champion should be able to beat all ionship final round. In addition, players from the winning the others in any case. 03 UEFAdirect-69-Janvier•E:Anglais 17.12.2007 12:11 Page 4 UEFA-pjwoods.ch UEFA UEFA-pjwoods.ch Everyone can therefore make their own predictions, discuss The official what the chances were that teams such as France and Italy would be ball – drawn together again, and start spec- ulating on how the final round will EUROPASS pan out. The one sure thing is that, During the ceremony, which from 7 to 29 June next year, we can was followed by some 1,500 peo- expect emotions, not just in the stadi- ple (a good half of whom were ums of Basel, Berne, Geneva, Zurich, media representatives) and was Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Salzburg and broadcast by almost 40 TV chan- Vienna, but throughout Europe. nels, the captains of the two host teams – Austria’s Andreas Ivan- schitz and Switzerland’s Alexander Frei – brought onto the Culture and Congress Centre stage the ball Bigger bonuses designed by adidas specially for Numerous meetings, workshops and press conferences surrounding the EURO 2008 final draw completed the weekend agenda in Lucerne, bringing together delegation members, team coaches, sponsors and media repre- sentatives, not to mention the UEFA Executive Committee, which convened on 30 November and 1 December (see pages 11-13). UEFA also announced the level of bonuses the EURO 2008 participants will receive, which has increased from EUR 129 million for EURO 2004 to EUR 184 million in 2008. UEFA envisages a participation bonus of EUR 7.5 million for each team, plus EUR 1 million for each win and EUR 500,000 for each draw during the group stage. EUR 2 million will be awarded to each quarter-finalist, with an additional EUR 3 million going to the semi-finalists. The winners of the tournament will see a final bonus of EUR 7.5 million, while their opponents – as runners-up – will receive 4.5 million. Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images Baron/Bongarts/Getty Alexander Frei (left) and Andreas Ivanschitz with the EUROPASS ball designed especially for EURO 2008. EURO 2008. Using elements from the competition logo and incorpo- rating the host nations’ flags, this ball features state-of-the-art tech- nology and a texture that is de- signed to ensure good control whatever the weather conditions. Who will be next? The representatives of the winning teams from 1960 to 2004 passed the trophy down the line be in for the next, as-yet-undecided, titleholders. 04 uefadirect 1.08 UEFAdirect-69-Janvier•E:Anglais 17.12.2007 12:11 Page 5 From outside An impressive The presidents the Culture and line-up of of the two host Congress Centre European associations to the front row champions seem to want of guests. ready to to fight for perform the trophy… the draw. UEFA-pjwoods.ch UEFA-pjwoods.ch FINAL ROUND MATCH SCHEDULE DATE TIME VENUE MATCH G ROUP A 7 June 18.00 Basel Switzerland – Czech Republic 7 June 20.45 Geneva Portugal – Turkey 11 June 18.00 Geneva Czech Republic – Portugal 11 June 20.45 Basel Switzerland – Turkey 15 June 20.45 Basel Switzerland – Portugal 15 June 20.45 Geneva Turkey – Czech Republic G ROUP B F. Bozzani The coaches of the 16 finalists, 8 June 18.00 Vienna Austria – Croatia from Group A (front row) to Group D. 8 June 20.45 Klagenfurt Germany – Poland 12 June 18.00 Klagenfurt Croatia – Germany 12 June 20.45 Vienna Austria – Poland 16 June 20.45 Klagenfurt Poland – Croatia 16 June 20.45 Vienna Austria – Germany G ROUP C 9 June 18.00 Zurich Romania – France 9 June 20.45 Berne Netherlands – Italy 13 June 18.00 Zurich Italy – Romania 13 June 20.45 Berne Netherlands – France 17 June 20.45 Berne Netherlands – Romania 17 June 20.45 Zurich France – Italy G ROUP D 10 June 18.00 Innsbruck Spain – Russia 10 June 20.45 Salzburg Greece – Sweden 14 June 18.00 Innsbruck Sweden – Spain 14 June 20.45 Salzburg Greece – Russia 18 June 20.45 Salzburg Greece – Spain 18 June 20.45 Innsbruck Russia – Sweden Q UARTER- FINALS 19 June 20.45 Basel 1: Winner Group A – Runner-up Group B 20 June 20.45 Vienna 2: Winner Group B – Runner-up Group A 21 June 20.45 Basel 3: Winner Group C – Runner-up Group D 22 June 20.45 Vienna 4: Winner Group D – Runner-up Group C S EMI- FINALS 25 June 20.45 Basel Winner Quarter-final 1 – Winner Quarter-final 2 26 June 20.45 Vienna Winner Quarter-final 3 – Winner Quarter-final 4 F INAL F.Bozzani 29 June 20.45 Vienna ne before entrusting it to a young player standing 05 UEFAdirect-69-Janvier•E:Anglais 17.12.2007 12:11 Page 6 Ukraine – Romania – A new Spain.