Barsa

15.6.2009

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Page 1

7.09

UEFAdirect-87-Fichier•E

No 87
No 58 – Février 2007
July 2009

FC Barcelona victorious
in the UEFA Champions League

03

Shakhtar Donetsk win
the last UEFA Cup final

05

Distribution of club
competition revenue

06

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Message
of the president

Photos: UEFA-pjwoods.ch

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Whenthe party
goes without a hitch

IN THIS ISSUE
FC Barcelona
triumph in the UEFA
Champions League

03

First European title
for Shakhtar Donetsk

05

UEFA Champions League
revenue

06

The share of the
UEFA Cup clubs

08

FCR 2001 Duisburg win
the UEFA Women’s Cup

10

Germany crowned
European U17 champions

11

News from member
associations

When the action ofthe teams on the pitch overshadows that of the
police behind the scenes, when control of the ball eclipses that of spectators at
the turnstiles, when the sun shines, the stadium is full, the crowd bright and
cheerful, and the facilities magnificent, you have all the ingredients for a
successful celebration.
You also need the cast of the show – the players and match officials –
and itsdirectors – the coaches – to live up to expectations, which are inevitably
high where the climax of the European club competition season is concerned.
I was really pleased with the UEFA Champions League final in Rome’s
Olympic Stadium in May. The match was action-packed from the start, and it
was not long before its first highlight: Samuel Eto’o’s goal, scored at the end of
FC Barcelona’s firstattack following an opening period in which they had been
constantly on the back foot. The Catalans then showed that technical brilliance
at keeping and moving the ball was a much more elegant and certainly no less
efficient way of overpowering an opponent than out-and-out defence.
I also liked the positive spirit in which the match was played, the sportsmanship and dignity of the losers, which thewinners willingly applauded at the
end of the match. I was also impressed by the supporters, who had come to
enjoy a great sporting occasion and were not in the least bit hostile.
Many high-ranking politicians watched the match from the VIP box. I was
proud to be able to show them that football is not about excessive money, violence
and other tricks – although these phenomena dounfortunately exist. Rather,
football is a shared passion, a way of bringing together people from different
geographical, cultural and social backgrounds; it is a unifying force in society.
I thank everyone who made it possible to provide such a shining example
of this by their efforts behind the scenes and on the pitch.

15

COVER
Carles Puyol shows off the
UEFA Champions League trophy
afterBarcelona’s victory against
Manchester United.
Photo: PA Wire / PA Images

02

uefadirect 7.09

Michel Platini
UEFA President

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Page 3

UEFA
Champions a r c e l o n a
League
title for FC B

Sabattini

Third

9:56

AS IN 2007 AND 2008, THREE ENGLISH CLUBS QUALIFIED
FOR THIS YEAR’S UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS.

In 2007, the
fourthsemi-finalists,
AC Milan, swept
all before them and lifted the trophy.
Last year, on the other hand, the
final was an all-English affair following
Manchester United FC’s semi-final
win over FC Barcelona, their opponents
in Rome. Unlike the Catalans,
Manchester United had never previously lost a Champion Clubs’ Cup
or Champions League final but
neither had reigning champions eversuccessfully defended their title in
the Champions League era.
With so many conflicting
signs, it was hard to predict the outcome of this season’s final, which
was all the more enticing as a result.

Manchester United dominated the early stages, stifling their
opponents and exerting enormous
pressure on the goal protected by the
Catalan keeper. Going completely
against the run of play,...