Liverpool FC Forum

by **LFC #1** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 11:47 am

just read this article from soccernet.com.

LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The UEFA Cup, battling for credibility in the shadow of the all-powerful Champions League, swings into first-round action on Thursday in the first year of its new format.
Formerly seen as a major European trophy, the UEFA Cup is now a very poor second to the Champions League and though the first-round lineup includes several big names, many of the fixtures resemble the Intertoto Cup qualifying round.

Former European champions Feyenoord, Benfica, Steaua Bucharest and Red Star Belgrade, Italian duo Lazio and Parma, and former winners Schalke 04 give the competition some gravitas and thanks to the seeding system, all will expect to advance through the two-legged first round into the new 40-team group stage.

This will comprise eight groups of five teams, each of whom will play two matches at home and two away.

The top three in each group will advance to the knock-out phase, when they will be joined by eight teams who finish third in their Champions League groups.

So for the next few months, the bigger names will plough through the competition, shaking off the weakest of the hopefuls, before they become the underdogs alongside the Champions League rejects.

For many, however, the competition began two months ago, as the first qualifying round began eight days after the European Championship final.

The chances of any of those clubs going all the way to the final in Lisbon on May 18 are slim in the extreme, though Bnei Sakhnin of Israel have made history just by reaching the first round proper.

Bnei Sakhnin, the first Arab side to qualify for Europe following their Israeli Cup final win over Hapoel Haifa last May, visit England to play last season's semi-finalists Newcastle United.

Sakhnin earned their shot at glory by beating Partizani Tirani of Albania 6-1 in the second qualifying round.

'I am tense but proud because I know we will have a very tough game,' club chairman Mazen Ghnaim said before leaving for Britain from Tel Aviv on Monday.

'Expectations from us are high but this is also the first time that a small club in a small town will be representing (Israel's) Arabs and the country and I hope we will do so honourably.'

It will be Newcastle's first game under new manager Graeme Souness, who left Blackburn Rovers to replace Bobby Robson last week.

Is this a sad attempt to try and revitalise the UEFA Cup a bit, with the Champions League being so much more sort after and followed.

Although it is good for the small teams in the competiton for experience, you often find that the clubs challenging for the cup are Champions league rejects, who spice up the competition with thier presence.

Don't get me wrong, it is still a great trophy to win and is a difficult competition to win, and I was over the moon as we all were whwn we won it against Alaves, but I jsut think this new structure is a poor attempt to try and gain publicity in the face of the highly popular Champions league.

What do you think?

by **laza** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 3:36 pm

Well least its in better shape then the European Cup winners cup

I rather see it as a straight knock out competition , give a bit of spice like the FA cup

by **Ciggy** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 3:50 pm

If we get knocked out the CL early Id love for us to win it again that was one fantastic night for us escpecially when they give the cup to robbie first to lift :love:

I was cryin :love:

by **laza** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 4:07 pm

Certainly when an awesome night, i woke up at 4 in morning to watch that magic match. The last time i had watched Liverpool live in Europe had been back in 1984. I doubt it will be another 17 years between winning finals

by **the great one** » Fri Sep 17, 2004 6:50 pm

it is losing credibility but shelbourne did well come from 2 behind to draw even though they are at home come on shelbourne :cool:

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Uefa cup - Losing credibility?

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