Uefadirect #98 (06.2010)
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!"#$%&'()*+,-."/$0123&45567898:;6;55-/:<55=31(56 6.10 Benfica win the UEFA Futsal Cup 0303 Europe’s 13 World Cup teams 0505 Referee mentors and talents 08 Coach educators course in Coverciano 1010 No 58 98 – Février June 2007 2010 UEFAdirect-98•E:Anglais 17.5.2010 8:24 Page 2 Message of the -Woods General Secretary Photos: UEFA Journey to Africa There will be 299 of them. 299 players defending the colours of the 13 UEFA member associations which have qualified for the forthcoming World Cup, the first to be held in Africa. The traditional sporting dimension of the event will be accompanied by another, historic aspect, as Africa has been looking forward to this moment for a long time, and has had to wait until the 19th World Cup to see its efforts and passion finally rewarded. For UEFA, the location of this World Cup is somewhat symbolic, in that it will produce a reversal of the usual situation. For a change, it is European players who will be travelling to Africa, and European fans who will be watching on TV a competition being held on African soil. It is a fair exchange for a continent that, year after year, sends its best footballers to Europe, with around 500 joining European clubs every season. These players make an important contribution to the quality of play that our club sides are able to offer their fans. Now, we are pleased to be able to return the IN THIS ISSUE favour by sending our best players in the other direction, and to give back something, Benfica win the small though it may be, of what the African continent so generously gives us. UEFA Futsal Cup 03 Looking beyond the summer, I really hope that the World Cup will give Europe’s a new, sustainable boost to African football, in particular by helping it to raise the 13 World Cup teams 05 appeal of its national championships. It is, I believe, important to offer African Referee mentors and talents 08 players an alternative to leaving, by giving them the opportunity to play football in their home continent, under attractive conditions. Coach educators course in Coverciano 10 Football can only benefit from a better balance of forces, which will ensure its vitality in the long term. I am sure that our teams will do their bit to give Positive feedback on the UEFA Europa League 12 African football that boost, and, with this in mind, I wish the best of luck to the teams of Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, UEFA president addresses the Committee of the Regions Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland (listed in alphabetical in Brussels 13 order, not order of preference...)! News from member associations 16 COVER Gianni Infantino In 2006, Fabio Cannavaro had the honour of lifting the World Cup trophy, something UEFA General Secretary that the captains of all the teams involved in the World Cup in South Africa will be dreaming of emulating on 11 July. Photo: Hache/AFP/Getty Images 02 uefadirect 6.10 UEFAdirect-98•E:Anglais 17.5.2010 8:24 Page 3 UEFA Futsal Cup final round BenficaBenfica overover thethe moonmoon Sportsfile THANKS TO A 3-2 EXTRA-TIME VICTORY OVER THE Dani finally netted the winning goal TITLEHOLDERS, INTERVIÚ MADRID, SL BENFICA WON for Benfica with a strong, well-placed THE UEFA FUTSAL CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR shot from distance. After the match, the Brazilian, who won the UEFA OWN PAVILHÃO ATLÁNTICO. Futsal Cup in 2005 with Belgian club In an exciting, high-quality soon after half time. Joel Queirós Action 21 Charleroi, enthused about final, Brazilian Dani scored the deci- equalised with a powerful shot after a the support of the fans. “The key to sive goal, which sent the 9,400 spec- free kick was played across the edge the game didn’t arrive on the pitch; tators wild with delight. Benfica of the penalty area, before Arnaldo it came as soon as we got to the arena therefore gained revenge for their gave Benfica the lead following a clev- and received such an inspiring wel- 2004 final defeat at the hands of the erly worked corner routine. Only three come from the fans,” explained the Madrid side. minutes later, Betão brought Interviú scorer of the winning goal. “I thought level again at 2-2 with a spectacular from the first moment we arrived Dead balls the key to success back-heel. The Spaniards were largely the trophy would be staying here in After Marquinho had put indebted to a dazzling display by their Lisbon; we felt there was no way the three-time UEFA Futsal Cup national team goalkeeper, Luis Amado, we could lose.” winners into an eighth minute lead for the fact that they did not concede with a superb individual effort, the any more goals before the end of Impressive crowd “Eagles” turned the match around normal time. Benfica’s coach, André Lima, thanks to two dead-ball strikes Less than three minutes into also raved about the support from midway through the first half and the ten-minute period of extra time, his team’s fans – the crowd of 9,400 03 UEFAdirect-98•E:Anglais 17.5.2010 8:24 Page 4 The Pavilhão Interviú Atlántico, a Madrid on dream setting the attack for the in the final UEFA Futsal against Cup finals SL Benfica was the largest ever to watch a Results UEFA Futsal Cup match. “It was the Semi-finals (23.4.2010) perfect final with an unbelievable Araz Naxçivan – Interviú Madrid 2-5 Poncio Danieli of Luparense tries to get past Thiago crowd at the arena,” said Lima, who Benfica – Luparense 8-4 of Araz Naxçivan in the match for third place. played for Benfica until 2004. “I feel Third-place match (25.4.2010) sensation at the European Futsal enormous pride at the moment. There Araz Naxçivan – Luparense 2-2, 5-4* Championship final round in Hungary in have been many times in my career * on penalties January, twice came from behind to when I have had to look up to Interviú Final (25.4.2010) draw level. They were finally finished off Madrid but right now I can say that by Spanish goalkeeper Amado, who Interviú Madrid – Benfica 2-3 (aet) for once it’s their turn to look up at produced a great save to prevent the us; I have enormous respect for them, equaliser two and a half minutes before but we were the best team through- Two newcomers in semi-finals the end and immediately shot into an out the encounter and so our victory In the semi-finals of the empty net to give his side an unassail- is deserved.” final round, which has involved four able 4-2 lead. Lima’s opponent on the side- clubs since 2007, Benfica secured lines, Jesús Candelas, who is used an 8-4 victory over Luparense C/5 . Futsal increasingly popular to success and coached Madrid to Despite falling behind early on, the In the third-place match, Araz, their first title in 2004, when the final Italians stayed within touching dis- who had become the first Azerbaijani was still played over two legs, was tance throughout the first half, which club to reach the semi-finals of a UEFA gracious in defeat: “My first words ended with them 3-2 in arrears. club competition, beat Luparense 5-4 tonight are to congratulate the vic- However, the Serie A1 team’s hopes on penalties and celebrated their third- tors. Benfica are the champions and were brought to an abrupt end by place finish as if they had won the whole the champions are always the just two goals after the interval. The other tournament. The competition’s top winners. They controlled the rhythm semi-final was a tighter affair: Interviú goalscorer was Benfica’s Joel Queirós, of the game while we entered into struggled for long periods against who netted for the 12th time in the the type of match that really didn’t Araz Naxçivan from Azerbaijan and final. He shared the position of the suit us. We were missing that extra bit did not book their place in the final final round’s leading marksman with his of nerve, that extra step in our game, until the closing minutes. The east team-mate Arnaldo (three goals each), and at times we were just a second Europeans, whose team was very who also scored in the final. off the pace.” similar to the one that caused a The launch of this year’s UEFA Futsal Cup final round was no less spec- The trophy in one hand and the club’s tacular than its conclusion. The draw for eagle mascot in the other, SL Benfica’s coach, André Lima, relishes in his club’s victory. the four matches was conducted in front of 65,000 spectators by Portuguese foot- ball legend Eusébio at a championship match in the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica. All four matches were broad- cast by Eurosport and the venue – the magnificent Pavilhão Atlántico, built for the 1998 world exhibition – provided a worthy setting for the final round of a competition whose popularity is steadily growing. Next season marks the tenth anniversary of the UEFA Futsal Cup. The preliminary-round mini-tournaments will be held in mid-August 2010, with the main round in late September/early October. In the elite round, the four teams with the best coefficients will join the competition.