UEFAdirect-78-Fichier•E 16.9.2008 14:33 Page 1 10.08 New club competition season kick-off 03 Zenit St. Petersburg lift UEFA Super Cup 08 Elite Club Coaches Forum in Nyon 09 No 58 – Février 2007 78 October 2008 UEFAdirect-78-Fichier•E 16.9.2008 14:33 Page 2 Message Photos: UEFA-pjwoods.ch of the president The merits of dialogue Reforming the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Cup, amending the UEFA Statutes to give more power to the national associations, reaching agreements with all members of the European football family and setting up the Professional Football Strategy Council to give them a platform on which to debate essential questions, not to mention organising a perfect EURO 2008 – these, in a nutshell, are the main activities that have dominated recent months. All these activities have one thing in common: they reflect a determination to move forward together. They also – particularly the club competition changes – demonstrate the importance of dialogue. In a family as complex as football’s, interests inevitably diverge. Yet, for the sake of the game it is vital that issues are settled not amid furore, but through dialogue. While football is fighting for recognition of its specificity and a clear and stable legal framework within Europe, it is more important than ever that it stands united. IN THIS ISSUE Clearly, this unity is possible only if football has strong leadership, which New club competition itself is achieved only through mutual respect. That means listening to one another season kicks off in Monaco 03 and resolving to solve problems by consensus and not obsolete authoritarianism. UEFA Champions Collective interests must always come first. League groups 06 It is through dialogue that we must find answers to burning issues such as Player awards 07 the protection of young players in international transfers, the defence of training Zenit St. Petersburg clubs’ interests, or indeed financial checks, with a view not only to keeping clubs in lift UEFA Super Cup 08 good financial health, but also to maintaining a level playing field for competitions. Elite Club Coaches Forum There are no two ways about it – dialogue must always be the first choice in Nyon 09 for problem-solving, whatever the problems may be. A book to promote health 12 News from member associations 16 Michel Platini UEFA President COVER A first for a Russian club: Zenit St. Petersburg captain Anatoliy Tymoschuk lifts the UEFA Super Cup trophy. Photo: Empics Sport/PA Photos 02 uefadirect 10.08 UEFAdirect-78-Fichier•E 16.9.2008 14:33 Page 3 2008/09 club competition season Kick-offKick-off inin MonacoMonaco Bozzani IT IS TEN YEARS NOW SINCE EUROPEAN CLUB FOOTBALL BEGAN MEETING Football Strategy Council and Club IN MONACO IN THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST. Competitions Committee, a lunch hosted by the UEFA president for media repre- sentatives, press conferences and a gala Of course, the annual get- winners, it represents the transition evening, not forgetting the numerous together does not literally mark the kick- between the old season and the new. informal meetings through which new off of the new season, which The previous season is rounded off connections were made or existing ones actually began back in June, midway with the presentation of awards to the strengthened. And this list is by no through EURO 2008, and the 14th best players in club football, while the means complete. and last edition of the UEFA Intertoto draw whets the appetite of supporters Cup has already been concluded. who can look forward to the matches Club Competitions Committee However, it does represent the that lie ahead in the new season. As well as the matches for the start of the season insofar as Europe’s current season and the small number of leading clubs are embarking on the A busy few days regulatory amendments that will enter adventure of a new season. The draw for However, the draws and the into force, such as the requirement for the group phase of the UEFA Champions Super Cup are certainly not the only eight “locally trained” players in each League, followed the next day by the items on the agenda in Monaco. This club’s 25-man squad, discussions also UEFA Cup first round draw, is one of the year’s packed timetable also included, covered the 2009/10 season, when the highlights of this gathering in the Prin- in no particular order, meetings for changes to the UEFA Champions League cipality of Monaco. Like the UEFA Super security officers, representatives of the and UEFA Cup will take effect. At the Cup match on the Friday evening, which clubs involved in the UEFA Champions meeting held in the afternoon following brings together the previous season’s League, broadcasters, sponsors and the UEFA Cup first round draw, the Club UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup lawyers, meetings of the Professional Competitions Committee, chaired by 03 UEFAdirect-78-Fichier•E 16.9.2008 14:33 Page 4 Getty Images Bozzani PA Wire/PA Photos Wire/PA PA Getty Images A lot of big football names and all manner of meetings at the club get-together in Monaco. Bozzani Austria’s Friedrich Stickler, looked in A cheque for the ELA particular at the recommendations pro- posed by a working group responsible Another (healthy) tradition at the Monaco gathering is the for putting the finishing touches to presentation of a cheque for CHF 1 million to a charitable or humani- certain aspects of the new system, such tarian cause. as the definition of the top seeds, cal- culation of club coefficients, distribution of income, match calendar and even the procedure and number of draws. In the UEFA Champions League, moving the final from a Wednesday to a Saturday should be a way of pro- viding an even better showcase for the match and for European football in general. “By moving to a Saturday, it will Michel Platini no longer just be a final, but an event,” presents the cheque to Guy repeated the UEFA president, Michel Alba and Platini. The whole week should be placed Zinédine Zidane. under the banner of the final, with a Sportsfile focus on the competition and the host Handed over at the UEFA Champions League group phase city and the presence of more young draw, this year’s cheque was made out to the European Leuko- people, including at the match itself. dystrophy Association (ELA) which, since 1992, has been fighting As far as the UEFA Cup is this rare illness which affects the nervous system and can result concerned, the competition’s visual in total paralysis, blindness, deafness, inability to speak or eat normally, identity and name were also discussed. and even death. The committee will consider these UEFA's gift will help to fund a four-year project designed to set up a issues again at its meeting next February European information and exchange network. This network will help to and, one month later, after hearing improve communication between patients, their families, researchers and health professionals throughout Europe. It will also facilitate the distri- the views of the Professional Football bution of information about the illness. Strategy Council, the Executive Com- The ELA was represented in Monaco by its president, Guy Alba, and its mittee will take all the necessary ambassador, Zinédine Zidane. decisions. 04 uefadirect 10.08 UEFAdirect-78-Fichier•E 16.9.2008 14:33 Page 5 Former Italy international Bruno Conti (right), ambassador for the 2009 final in Rome, helps perform the UEFA Champions League group stage draw. Sportsfile Bozzani the number of places (38) and clubs (11), followed by Italy (36/7), England UEFA (36/6), Germany (30/8), France (27/9), the Netherlands (19/5), Greece (18/3) and Turkey (14/3). This season, Spain, England and Italy all have the maximum Champions number of representatives (4). 105 clubs As well as BATE Borisov and Anorthosis Famagusta, two other clubs League groups are making their Champions League A breath of fresh air debut: FCR 1907 Cluj of Romania and Zenit St. Petersburg, the Russian holders THE PLAN TO OPEN UP THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TO CLUBS FROM of the UEFA Cup and, more recently, A HIGHER NUMBER OF ASSOCIATIONS FROM THE 2009/10 SEASON APPEARS the Super Cup. To date, 105 different clubs TO HAVE TAKEN EFFECT ALREADY, WITH THIS SEASON'S EDITION have participated in the Champions INVOLVING FOUR NEW CLUBS AND TWO NEW NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS. League. Manchester United FC and FC Porto remain the most frequent par- The football associations number of different associations repre- ticipants and are each now in their 14th of Belarus and Cyprus sented since the Champions League was Champions League season. They are have never previously created has therefore risen to 31, 17 followed by FC Barcelona, PSV Eindhoven been represented in of which (two more than last year) have and Real Madrid CF with 13. FC Bayern European club football’s at least one club participating in this München, FC Dynamo Kyiv and this sea- flagship competition. season’s tournament. Since the Cham- son’s major absentees, AC Milan, have Having both started in the first quali- pions League has involved a single all now been involved 12 times. fying round, FC BATE Borisov and 32-team group stage, only in the first Fifteen of this season’s partici- Anorthosis Famagusta FC eliminated season (1999/2000) have more associa- pants are current national champions. Valur Reykjavik, RSC Anderlecht and tions been represented (18). During the Nineteen have won UEFA competitions PFC Levski Sofia and FC Pyunik, SK Rapid same ten-season period, eight national in the past, including 11 previous Wien and Olympiacos CFP respectively associations have been involved every Champion Clubs’ Cup/Champions in order to reach the group phase.