The UEFA Executive Committee completed its two-day meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, with the approval of a number of key topics.

The guidelines for match officials with regards to racist behaviour in football stadiums were approved by the Executive Committee and will enter into force immediately in all UEFA competitions. A three-step procedure, these guidelines state that in the event that the referee becomes aware of serious racist behaviour, or is informed of it by the fourth official, he shall as a first step, in application of Law 5 of the Laws of the Game, stop the match and ask for an announcement to be made over the public address system requesting the public to immediately stop such racist behaviour.

As a second step, if the racist behaviour does not cease once the game has restarted, the referee shall suspend the match for a reasonable period of time, e.g. five to ten minutes, and request the teams to go to the dressing rooms. A further announcement shall be made over the public address system to the public.

As a third and final step, if the racist behaviour does not cease after the game has restarted, the referee shall as a last resort, definitively abandon the match. All along the three-step process the UEFA delegate shall assist the referee, through the fourth official, in determining whether the racist behaviour has ceased, and any decision to abandon the match shall only be taken after all other possible measures have been implemented and the impact of abandoning the match on the security of the players and public has been assessed. The full and detailed guidelines will be made available shortly.

The disciplinary consequences (such as forfeit, stadium suspension, fines or others) shall be dealt with by the UEFA Disciplinary Bodies in accordance with the relevant regulations, in particular article 11 bis of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations.

In the area of financial fair play the Executive Committee received a full update on the work being conducted in this area and agreed to act urgently on the matter. A decision on the concept and principles is scheduled to be taken at the next UEFA Executive Committee meeting in September 2009 after a meeting with the Professional Football Strategy Council (PFSC), and after consultations with the European Club Association (ECA), the European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) and FIFPro Division Europe.

The key principle on the road towards a fairer and more transparent game is that football should reward those clubs living within their means. This means that clubs shall need to reduce their spending. To be viable, salaries and transfers should be proportionate to the generated income. Clubs should invest in their youth sectors, and use their homegrown talent to reinforce their squads. UEFA and the clubs are therefore committed to working together on the concept of financial fair play to curb excessive spending and promote investments for the long-term health of club football.

On the subject of the additional assistant referees experiment, the Executive Committee was informed that following the decision of the FIFA Executive Committee at their meeting of 30/31 May 2009, this would now be tested at a professional level in the forthcoming 2009/10 UEFA Europa League group stage.

The UEFA Referees Committee will select the fixed “trios” of referees composed of officials from the same country to officiate at these matches.

In other decisions, the Executive Committee approved the appointment of the new committee members for the 2009-2011 period, agreed the natural disaster donation of one million Swiss Francs to the Italian Football Federation for football and sports facilities in the Abruzzo region, and accepted the continuation of a revised format Baltic League, in Estonia/Latvia/Lithuania, for the seasons up to and including 2011/12.

The next UEFA Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for 14/15 September in Nyon, Switzerland.

Coca-Cola to Provide Tickets to Fans in the U.S. For a Chance to See the Authentic FIFA World Cup Trophy

World soccer’s greatest prize will spread excitement in Houston on May 2nd, 2010 when the FIFA World Cup(TM) Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola takes an unprecedented journey around the world in anticipation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM).

The Coca-Cola Company and FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, recently announced details of the route which will span 86 countries during the 225-day tour and allow thousands of fans around the globe to see the real solid-gold trophy in person.

The Trophy Tour, which will begin its journey from the FIFA Headquarters on September 21, 2009, will travel around the world before arriving in the host country of South Africa on May 4, 2010. The total distance the tour will travel is 134,017 kilometers (83,274 miles) or more than three times the circumference of Earth. The Tour was developed through an exclusive partnership between FIFA and Coca-Cola, a FIFA Partner and one of the organization’s longest-standing corporate partners.

During the Trophy Tour, fans will be given the chance to enjoy a rare close-up view of the authentic FIFA World Cup(TM) Trophy. Free tickets to the 2009/10 Trophy Tour will be made available to consumers via Coca-Cola promotions in countries on the route. At events in each city, fans will have the opportunity to have a souvenir photo taken of themselves with the trophy, view a special 3-D movie showcasing memorable moments of the FIFA World Cup, participate in interactive displays and enjoy other entertainment. Countries and dates of the route are subject to change.

“Fans will have the opportunity to personally experience part of football’s biggest event when we bring the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola back to the U.S.,” said Reinaldo Padua, assistant vice president, Hispanic Marketing, Coca-Cola North America. “Due to the growth of the Hispanic population and the popularity of soccer in the U.S., the 2010 FIFA World Cup provides Coca-Cola with a unique opportunity to connect with the new multicultural America, from Hispanic males to Soccer moms. The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola is the beginning of a very exciting 2010 FIFA World cup U.S. program.”

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Coca-Cola again to stage the FIFA World Cup(TM) Trophy Tour,” said Jerome Valcke, FIFA Secretary General. “This year’s tour will excite and inspire even more fans by allowing them to get closer to the greatest prize in world football.”

The 2009/10 FIFA World Cup(TM) Trophy Tour draws on the huge success of the first global Trophy Tour held in 2006. In 2006, the tour visited 31 cities in 29 countries, covering 102,570 kilometers (63,734 miles) with millions of fans around the world enjoying the chance to have a closer look at football’s most famous prize.

The authentic, FIFA World Cup(TM) is awarded to the winning nation at each tournament. The iconic trophy measures 36.8 centimetres (14.5 inches) high, weighs in at 6,175 grams (13.61 pounds) and is made of solid, 18-carat gold. The winners retain it until the next tournament and are awarded a replica that is gold-plated, rather than solid gold. The base contains two layers of semi-precious malachite, whiles the bottom side of the Trophy bears the engraved year and name of each FIFA World Cup winner since 1974.

The Coca-Cola Company has had a formal association with Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) since 1974 and an official sponsorship of FIFA World Cup(TM) that began in 1978. Coca-Cola has had stadium advertising at every FIFA World Cup(TM) since 1950 and is a long-time supporter of football at all levels, from grassroots to the FIFA World Cup(TM).

Coca-Cola North America’s 2009-2010 FIFA World Cup program will offer consumers the opportunity to experience the World Cup up close and personal. From in-store activations and special packaging to the Trophy Tour and all the way to South Africa, Coca-Cola will play an essential role in helping fans enjoy the excitement of the World Cup. The Coca-Cola World Cup program is designed to provide occasions for fans to celebrate and refresh themselves after every goal and every victory.

These efforts are part of the Company’s continuing commitment to revitalize the U.S. sparkling beverage category by sharing moments of happiness through each of its marketing programs. The 2009-2010 FIFA World Cup and FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola will be supported by a fully integrated marketing and advertising campaign featuring both traditional and non-traditional media, including television, radio, digital, out-of-home, and point-of-sale.

Source: The Coca-Cola Company

A few minutes before kick-off, the two team captains will read a declaration to encourage players, officials and fans around the world to say “no to racism”, not only in football but also in society in general. Both teams and the match officials will also pose together with a banner displaying the unequivocal “Say no to Racism” message as part of the official match protocol.

“Football is a mirror of society and unfortunately, even in this modern age, our game is still blighted by scourges such as racism. However, football has the power to unite players and coaches, binding them together through the values of discipline and mutual respect. We say no to racism but equally we say yes to solidarity, respect and tolerance, the basic values of our game. There is no place in football for racism,” said FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter.

Although discrimination of any form should be rejected 365 days of the year - as underlined in FIFA’s Statutes - the FIFA Anti-Discrimination Days seek to highlight this message in front of a global audience of millions.

“It is as a South African and as an international freedom fighter that I have accepted the challenge to make a common cause with FIFA’s fight against racial intolerance. It is clear that this initiative will not solve the problem in general but it sends a clear message,” said Tokyo Sexwale, Minister of Human Settlements, South African human rights activist and member of the FIFA Committee for Fair Play and Social Responsibility.

FIFA recognises the unique role it has in coordinating opinions and expertise from all corners of the globe to share experiences and to find effective solutions to tackle racism and other forms of discrimination.

“We have made tremendous progress in the fight against racism, but a great amount of work still needs to be done. There has to be a policy of zero tolerance towards racism, and a sense of collective responsibility among everyone involved. Football can be a wonderful vehicle to bring everyone together, and these Anti-Discrimination Days are a way of laying down a solid basis from which to move forward,” said Paul Elliott an Ambassador for the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network, who played in England, Scotland and Italy during a twelve year football career.

FIFA held its first Anti-Discrimination Day on 7 July 2002 following a resolution against discrimination passed at the FIFA Congress in Buenos Aires in 2001.

Mexican Soccer Legend Luis Roberto Alves ‘Zague’ joins Sprint at select games nationally

As an official sponsor of the popular 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup(TM) tournament, Sprint brings soccer fans closer to their favorite sport than ever before with exclusive mobile content, available only on the Sprint Now Network(TM). For the first time, fans can be a part of the action by experiencing full-length live streaming of the games directly on their Sprint TV-capable phones. Through their phones, subscribers will also have front row seats to follow CONCACAF Gold Cup(TM) from the opening game kickoff in Los Angeles to the finals in New York with real-time game updates about their teams playing in the tournament, related news and tournament statistics, among other fun features.

Additionally, Sprint has teamed up with one of the most popular Mexican soccer legends, Luis Roberto Alves “Zague”, to provide a one-of-a-kind pre-game experience at select matches in some U.S. cities.

“Soccer is a way of life, not only for me but for all fans. It’s so exciting to see how Sprint has created the perfect synergy between sports and technology,” Zague said. “As a former soccer player, I am thankful to join a partnership where soccer fans are able to stay connected to the game by receiving up-to-the-minute information.”

At the games, fans can visit Sprint Mobile Experience to try firsthand how easy it is to enjoy real-time matches on the go on a wide range of Sprint phones.

Exclusive Sprint CONCACAF Gold Cup(TM) content

Developed in partnership with Univision Movil, only Sprint subscribers will have exclusive access to CONCACAF Gold Cup(TM) on their phones. Subscribers can visit sprint.com/copa on their mobile phones to enjoy:

• Live streaming of full-length games available for the first time ever on mobile devices
• Video highlights of goals, top plays and commentary! (1)
• Text alerts for results, game reminders and the latest team news
• Breaking news, photo galleries and TV schedules
• Ringers, screensavers and fight songs

“With the CONCACAF Gold Cup(TM), Sprint continues its commitment in solidifying partnerships that ignite our Hispanic subscribers’ passions, like soccer,” explained Kymber Umana, Hispanic marketing manager for Sprint. “Our ability to give our customers exclusive tournament content directly on their Sprint mobile phone is a sure bet that they will never miss a part of the CONCACAF Gold Cup(TM) action this summer.”

Finally, Sprint’s sponsorship includes a national television spot during Spanish-language soccer broadcasts, as well as multiple US Hispanic-targeted online creative banners on soccer and social networking sites and a website, www.sprint.com/copa. Sprint pays tribute to soccer fans with an exciting and humorous commercial titled, “‘Life or Futbol’, with Sprint you can have both,” that can be seen via a 30-second TV spot featuring the Sprint exclusive Samsung Instinct(R) s30(TM)(2). Existing customers will also receive informative newsletters and emails detailing exclusive content available on the most popular Sprint phones.

For more information about the CONCACAF Gold Cup(TM) tournament and to get a list of all the upcoming games, visit http://concacaf.com/competitions/goldcup/2009/history.aspx.

Visit www.sprint.com/copa to learn about Sprint exclusive content available to subscribers.

The move to include Arabic reflects the fact that it is not only the fastest-growing language on the internet (seeing a rise of 2,063.7 per cent between 2000 and 2008), but also that three FIFA competitions are taking part in the Arabic-speaking world during the course of the next six months.

The FIFA U-20 World Cup (Egypt), the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup (both in the United Arab Emirates) are all keenly anticipated events in the football calendar and, with Egypt and Iraq qualifying for the forthcoming edition of the FIFA Confederations Cup, the desire for football information among the globe’s 350 million Arabic speakers is set to be significant.

“With the aim of “touching the world”, FIFA takes world-class football action to every corner of the planet and our broad range of competitions shows the many faces of football. I am delighted that we have emphasised this aim by adding another language to our website and providing a service for the Arabic-speaking world,” said FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter. “People in this part of the world are passionate about football and we are very much looking forward to the tournaments in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates this year. I am confident that the Arabic channel of FIFA.com will prove to be extremely popular.”

CEO of ART, Eng. Abed Alaziz Yamani, said: “ART are proud to be associated with the Arabic website on FIFA.com. It deepens our close relationship with FIFA and is recognition of football’s importance to our region. I’m sure it will be a huge success.”

The new version offers a full service for its users, with all of FIFA.com’s current features translated into Arabic. As well as reading the latest news, interviews and features on the site, people can also sign-up to the FIFA.com Club, a service which allows football fans from all over the world to communicate with each other, play games and also comment on the website’s articles.

There will also be exclusive content from FIFA.com’s Arabic editors, as well as news feeds which will ensure that the website offers comprehensive coverage of local and world football, 365 days a year.

The Arab Radio and Television (ART) network is the leading producer of premium Arabic and international sport, family programming and entertainment worldwide. ART has a key role to source, produce, and collate sport and entertainment solutions for the AMC groups, (Arab Media Corporation) which is arguably the largest single Arab media holding company in the world. ART produces over 6,000 live and recorded shows every year including sports programmes, family oriented dramas, series, plays, music videos, and documentaries.

UEFA  announced the extension of its sponsorship agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (S.C.E.E.) and its brand PlayStation for the UEFA Champions League seasons 2009 to 2012, and for the UEFA Super Cup in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

With the renewal of this agreement, PlayStation will continue its long association with Europe’s most prestigious club football competition.

PlayStation joins Heineken, Sony, UniCredit and MasterCard as the fifth official partner for the 2009-2012 seasons.

Commenting on the agreement, David Taylor, UEFA General Secretary, said:

“We are very pleased that such a global player has chosen to renew its agreement with UEFA and with the UEFA Champions League. This extension proves what a strong relationship we have and that the UEFA Champions League continues to be an important part of PlayStation’s communication strategy. “We are sure that the UEFA Champions League sponsorship platform will provide PlayStation with excellent opportunities to develop their prestigious and well-known brand, and that it will also foster the link between the UEFA Champions League and the fan base of the PlayStation products.”

SCEE’s Vice-President of Consumer Marketing, Darren Carter, said:

“Football has been in our blood for a very long time and is something that along with unique and entertaining games excites PlayStation fans. The UEFA Champions League offers us an opportunity to talk to football fans around the world, especially throughout Europe and by combining the incredible content of the UEFA Champions League with the diverse features of PlayStation products, we feel that we can bring football to our community in ways no one else can.”

TEAM Marketing AG is the exclusive marketing agency of UEFA for the UEFA Champions League.

Italy coach Pierluigi Casiraghi may have cited Hamlet but his question was not so much “To be or not to be?” as “4-2-2 or 4-3-3?” ahead of his side’s opening match against Serbia.

Dilemma
Casiraghi’s squad spent a week in the Danish town of Elsinore, setting for the Shakespeare play, before arriving in Sweden and, according to the coach, they have considered a variety of options ahead of their first Group A fixture against a “dangerous” Serbia team. The dilemma for Casiraghi is whether to keep his front three of Robert Acquafresca – Italy’s five-goal top scorer in qualifying – Mario Balotelli and Sebastian Giovinco or adopt a more secure 4-4-2 against opponents who defeated the Azzurrini 1-0 in their opening game at the 2007 tournament en route to reaching the final.

‘Big advantage’
“It’s the first game and Serbia are a very high-level team, but you also have to bear in mind that this group of players have played a certain type of football for the last three years,” Casiraghi said. “The important thing about playing with three forwards is it gives you a big advantage and a lot of possibilities when you have the ball and are attacking, especially with three players like Giovinco, Balotelli and Acquafresca. On the other side we don’t want to get exposed at the back.”

Serbian solutions
Casiraghi, a member of the Italy side beaten in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship semi-finals by Yugoslavia in 1990, was wary of the possible threat posed by Serbia’s “trequartisti” or attacking midfielders. His Serbia counterpart, Slobodan Krcmarevi?, will want these players to deliver given the absence of striker Filip Djordjevi?, scorer of five qualifying goals, who flew back to Belgrade on Sunday with a foot fracture. Krcmarevi? said: “We have a little problem with our attackers but we have other very good players like [Zoran] Tosi?, who is playing for Manchester United [FC], [Miralem] Sulejmani from [AFC] Ajax, Rade Veljovi? from [CFR 1907] Cluj, so we have many solutions.”

Twelfth man
Krcmarevi? spoke of the “many quality individuals” Italy have, yet showed no sense of inferiority. “I think it is 50-50,” said the coach, who anticipated the presence of a “12th man” inside Helsingborg’s Olympia tomorrow with a large turnout expected from the sizeable Serbian community in this corner of Sweden. Whatever the outcome, Krcmarevi? hopes this will not be the only time his ‘Eaglets’ face Italy in the tournament. “My hope is to play against Italy tomorrow and to meet them again in the final,” said Serbia’s trainer, who will likely not risk defender Ivan Obradovi?, still recovering from an ankle problem.

Casiraghi wish
“Maybe it is not unrealistic even if there are so many great teams and players in this tournament,” he added. As for Casiraghi, his wish is to avoid a repeat of that 2007 reverse in Nijmegen – a setback that ultimately cost the Azzurrini a semi-final place. “These are two completely different teams from two years ago,” he said. “The fact the first game of the last championship was against Serbia in a certain way increases the pressure and the tension, but I think that could be something positive.”

Motta out to settle score with Serbia
Captain Marco Motta says Italy will be out for revenge when they open their bid for a sixth UEFA European Under-21 Championship title against Serbia in Helsingborg on Tuesday.

Making amends
Motta was on the bench when Italy lost 1-0 to Serbia in their opening game of the 2007 finals in the Netherlands, and is keen to make amends in this Group A sequel. “That defeat still hurts. I remember we had plenty of chances to score but we missed them all and were punished by Serbia,” said the 23-year-old defender. “Now we want revenge. Football is great because it often gives you a second chance. We weren’t lucky last time but you don’t just lose games because of bad luck. We made too many mistakes in front of goal. This time we must be more clinical.”

Tournament favourites
Tipped among the favourites in Sweden, Motta says his side cannot wait to get their tournament under way. “We’re looking forward to getting started. We know we are a good team but we are eager to prove it on the pitch.” Though his former U21 team-mates Davide Santon and Giuseppe Rossi have been promoted to Italy’s senior squad for the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, the right-back is “glad to be here and proud to be the captain of this great group”. The Udinese Calcio player, who spent the second half of the season on loan at AS Roma, added: “I want to finish the job we began several years ago.”

Strong attack
With the likes of Mario Balotelli, Robert Acquafresca and Sebastian Giovinco up front, Italy are arguably stronger in attack this time around. Coach Pierluigi Casiraghi has admitted as much, conceding that two summers ago the side were possibly more talented in midfield. “I think they are an extra asset for us,” Motta said of the front men. “They are fully aware that in modern football everyone has to make a few sacrifices and help out in defence.” Casiraghi has had his squad watching Serbia matches on video, and Motta anticipates a tough opening to Group A, which also includes Belarus and hosts Sweden. “I can’t say now if they are our strongest opponents,” he said. “But they are a technical team who can play very good football and cause problems for any side. My main concern is how Italy perform – if we play our own game, we don’t need to fear anyone.”

Sweden joint-coach Jörgen Lennartsson believes “the fans can help us to victory” as the hosts prepare to kick off their UEFA European Under-21 Championship campaign against Belarus in Group A at the Malmö New Stadium on Tuesday.

‘Great’
It is nearly three years since Sweden were selected to stage the competition and also since the U21s last played a competitive match. Finally, though, the wait is over and Lennartsson, after watching the Netherlands sweep to victory on a wave of orange support on home soil in 2007, is relishing the prospect of giving local fans something to savour again. “It’s going to be great – we’ve been looking forward to this for a long time,” he said. “We’re ready for it. We will have 20,000 fans behind us and we want to give them attractive football. Playing at home doesn’t put us under extra pressure. The fans can help us to victory.”

Rising expectations
Sweden reached the last four in their most recent finals appearance in 2004 and expectations have been quietly rising that Lennartsson and Tommy Söderberg’s side can match that achievement here. They are hitting form at the right time, having drawn against Italy and Spain in the spring as well as beating Poland and Estonia earlier this month. The return of senior internationals Marcus Berg and Rasmus Elm to the U21 ranks means further cause for optimism, though Lennartsson is quick to underline the size of the task.

‘Quality’
“Most of the players will have to raise their game a notch or two,” he said, “because this championship is on a higher level than what they are used to.” Starting with Belarus, who have impressed Lennartsson even if cast as underdogs in a section also including Serbia and Italy. “Belarussian football has developed enormously,” he said. “Look at this team, look at BATE Borisov in the Champions League, they play modern football – fast, technical and with good quality passing.”

Kurnenin suspended
Belarus coach Yuri Kurnenin will hope his side display precisely those qualities on Tuesday, though he himself will watch from the stands after being sent off in the second leg of the play-off victory against Turkey in October. In their only previous final tournament outing in 2004, Belarus surprisingly defeated eventual champions Italy in their opening game and are prepared to spoil Sweden’s party here.

Key game
“We’ve studied them in depth,” Kurnenin said. “We know their best players, we know how they attack, how they defend and what they do at set-pieces. We will definitely not be caught by surprise.” A capacity, partisan crowd is anticipated at the Malmö New Stadium, where Kurnenin insists Belarus will rise to the occasion. “Obviously the players will be nervous and the key thing will be to stay calm and show our quality and potential. We have to get something as the losing team loses all hope of qualifying. That’s why our match against Sweden is the most important.”
Both coaches reported fully-fit squads, although Lennartsson conceded that he and Söderberg face selection dilemmas, notably in central midfield where Labinot Harbuzi’s fine showings and sensational last-minute winner against Poland on 5 June have forced him into the reckoning

Afanasiev intent on spoiling Sweden’s party
Belarus Under-21 captain Mikhail Afanasiev insists his side must play to win against the hosts in Tuesday’s Group A opener – because “a bad result against Sweden would leave us with little chance to fight on”.

‘Real leader’
Shrugging off suggestions that Belarus kick off as underdogs in the section, the FC Amkar Perm right-winger believes “our commitment and unity can help us against any opponent”. Sweden will do well to heed those words. Having go this far, Belarus are intent on making their mark, with Afanasiev likely to prove their chief threat. Described by coach Yuri Kurnenin as “a real leader, a strong person who is able to unite his team”, the No11 will be making a national record 39th appearance at this level in Malmo and is relishing the opportunity to show off his talents on the European stage.

‘Great chance’
“For me personally, this tournament is a great chance to shine in front of a large number of scouts from leading clubs, the 22-year-old said. “It is a chance for the whole team and it could be very important for our careers. If I play well I will be noticed. If our team qualifies from the group, not many players will stay in the shadows.”

No pressure
The squad were relaxed in training on Monday and, with all eyes on Sweden, the pressure will be on the hosts. Still Afanasiev would not let an observation that Belarus are perhaps too careless in possession go unchallenged. “I totally disagree with this statement,” he replied to reporters. “We led our qualifying group for a long time [before being overhauled by Serbia]. We were always able to take the initiative in our matches, except maybe in the 3-1 defeat by Serbia. We then had two good matches against Turkey in the play-off and controlled those games. How can you say we are careless with the ball?”

‘Clear goals’
The former FC BATE Borisov and FC MTZ-RIPO Minsk midfielder will be eager to prove his point at the Malmö New Stadium. “Set-pieces will hardly help us against such a physical team,” he went on. “We will try to keep the ball to feet because we won’t be able to beat the Swedes in the air.” Ultimately, whichever side best deals with the situation will be halfway to victory, and Afanasiev has confidence in his team. “I don’t know how Sweden will cope with the pressure, but we will go out there with clear goals. We will play for our country and for the people who support us
back in Belarus and then everything should be fine. Our coach will find the key to victory.”

Two of European football’s powerhouses who have surprisingly struggled to make a recent impact at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, both Spain and Germany are only too aware of the importance of making a positive start when they meet in Group B.

Title challenge
Champions in 1986 and 1998, Spain have not qualified since 2000, while Germany have never won this competition and also missed out on the last finals in the Netherlands two years ago. Yet both coaches exuded an air of confidence at  their respective pre-match press conferences at  the Gamla Ullevi. “The  team  is very well prepared,” said Germany’s Horst Hrubesch. “When I see them in training and the atmosphere around the squad then I really believe they’re in good shape. We are not here just to play a few games; we have always clearly said that we are going to challenge for the title.”

Swiss example
Spain coach Juan Ramón López Caro stopped short of publicly setting out such ambitious targets, although he did admit “the players feel very confident. They have a lot of responsibility and come here looking to do well and hope to have a good tournament.” When asked if Spain could challenge for the title he pointed to the narrow escape in the play-offs for these finals: “We only won against Switzerland in the last minute so I wouldn’t say we’re favourites. What we have to do is demonstrate we have good quality and perform at a high level. Germany are a physical team full of personality who like to attack and also defend very well. We have to play our own game.”

Expect the unexpected
The omens are good for Hrubesch, who guided Germany to a 2-1 victory against Spain on Matchday 1 of last year’s UEFA European Under-19 Championship and the side went on to lift the trophy for the first time. “I’m convinced we’re going to have a good tournament,” said Hrubesch, who will return to the U19 post next month. “This team is strong physically and mentally – we’ve worked on the second part a lot. We can play at a high technical level and this all contributes to the team spirit which is very important at a tournament like this. We can play at a very fast pace and we have some great individuals. That’s one of our strengths as no team knows what to expect against Germany. But the main thing is that these players know what they want: to win the title.”

‘Small details’
Neither side have any injury concerns ahead of their meeting in Gothenburg, and with both looking for a positive start – Germany have won only two matches in a U21 final tournament, their opening games in both 2004 and 2006 – López Caro believes he has pinpointed where the match will be won and lost. “We know we’re in a difficult group and we have to respect our rivals – we know matches like these will be decided by small details,” he said. “As always, it will be important not to make mistakes in either defence or attack. I expect there to be lots of chances; the percentage that are turned into goals will be key.

EURO glory spurs on Spain’s García
Raúl García believes Spain can draw on their senior counterparts’ victory at UEFA EURO 2008™ as they look to reclaim the UEFA European Under-21 Championship title after a wait of eleven years.

‘Extra motivation’
Champions in 1986 and 1998, by their own high standards Spain have endured a fallow period in recent times – indeed this is their first final tournament at this level since 2000. Yet their captain is adamant that last summer’s success in Austria and Switzerland can spur the U21 side to glory in Sweden. “We’re very proud Spain won that tournament last summer, it’s extra motivation for the squad. We know that if we perform well here we can win this tournament as well – and that would give us greater pride,” said García, who was similarly bullish when asked about that nine-year absence from the finals. “This team really believes in itself. We didn’t come here just to play football, but to win the tournament.”

European experience
Spain might have struggled to make an impact at the U21s but they have had no shortage of success at youth level, with four titles collected in both the U17 and U19 competitions since that 1998 triumph. Indeed, eight of Juan Ramón López Caro’s 23-man squad have already tasted European glory at various age levels and García believes his team-mates have the know-how to add this crown to an ever-growing pile of trophies. “We are really confident,” he said simply. “We know we have a good team, but we also know this competition is very strong. Our main intention is to win the tournament and we’ll fight for that.”

‘Fight to win’
A man of few words and concise statements, when asked how he imagined how the opening match against Germany might pan out, García responded: “I don’t imagine how the game will be; I know how it will be. It will be very tough, a physical game in which we will have to fight until the very end. Being the first game of the tournament it’s always important to perform well.” He was similarly straightforward when it was put to him that, after a long season for club and country spanning almost ten months, fatigue could be an issue. “We’ve been trying to qualify for these finals for two years,” he said. “There’s no question of us being tired – we will fight to win this tournament.”

Castro commits to nurture over nature
Gonzalo Castro admits it will be “emotional” when Germany take on the land of his parents’ birth, Spain, in the opening round of matches at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship but both he and his captain are confident Horst Hrubesch’s side can rise to the occasion.

‘Send a signal’
Castro was born in Wuppertal in western Germany to a Spanish couple and admits to mixed feelings ahead of the Group B game – although he is confident that there will no question of divided loyalties once the referee’s whistle sounds in Gothenburg. “It’s a very emotional situation for me,” the versatile midfielder, often deployed at right-back by Bayer 04 Leverkusen, told the pre-match press conference. “My father comes from Malaga and my mother from Girona in Catalonia. But this is an important match for us because we can send a signal to the other teams. We’re very well prepared for the tournament.”

‘No pressure’
That last point was echoed by skipper Sami Khedira, who emphasised the importance of beginning the finals in positive fashion. “We want to get off to a good start against Spain to generate a good feeling in and around the squad for the forthcoming matches,” said the VfB Stuttgart midfielder, who is confident his side will do themselves justice in Sweden over the next fortnight. “We can handle this situation. The whole team are very experienced; we’re used to playing in the Champions League and the Bundesliga. Sometimes we’re playing for the league title, sometimes against relegation. We’re used to playing in front of sold-out stadiums so that’s why we’re looking forward to this. There’s no pressure – it’s a nice challenge.”

Team of leaders
Khedira and Castro are both likely to shoulder additional responsibility, with the former wearing the captain’s armband and Castro one of only two squad members to have previously appeared in a U21 finals, in Portugal in 2006. Both, however, are advocates of the notion of collective responsibility, the former explaining: “It’s not a new situation for me – I’ve always thought of myself as one of the leaders in the team. Now I get the chance to discuss with the coach and share my opinions, but lots of the squad are leaders so it’s not difficult.”

Löw ambitions
In the unlikely event of any members of Hrubesch’s squad needing additional motivation, senior coach Joachim Löw will attend the first two matches in Sweden and Castro, with five full caps to his name already – although none since November 2007 - has particular reason to shine. “I’m very proud to have played for the senior team but I haven’t played too well for a while so I’m looking to do that at this tournament and next season,” he said. “I’m a young player, I have to learn a lot and develop and I’m very optimistic for these finals.”

Finnish outsiders aim to steal spotlight The Finland coach Markku Kanerva said “it suits us perfectly” for all the talk to be about England before the sides get the UEFA European Under-21 Championship under way at Örjans vall in Halmstad on Monday.

First finals
Drawn in Group B alongside the 2007 semi-finalists and their fellow heavyweights Germany and Spain, Finland are readying themselves for a daunting introduction to tournament football as they compete in their first major finals. “It’s going to be a huge challenge for us, that’s for sure,” said Kanerva, “but we’ve prepared very well and are ready to meet that challenge. England are among the favourites and therefore have all the pressure on them – it’s our goal to surprise them.”

No underdogs
Stuart Pearce did not sound like a man preparing to be caught unawares, however, insisting his team’s preparation had been thorough. “You can’t underestimate anybody in international football; it’s impossible now,” said the England manager. “I’ve seen enough Finland games, six matches, to know they’ve got a resilience about them. I don’t see underdogs here. Whoever you play, you need to be at your out-and-out best to be competitive, and if not you’ll be beaten.”

Mammoth shoot-out
England have twice won the competition and have been semi-finalists on five further occasions, including the last edition when they were eliminated after a mammoth shoot-out against hosts the Netherlands. “We had camaraderie in 2007 but that grew during the tournament,” said Pearce. “Now I feel the closeness is there straight away. The players’ attitude on the training camp and their focus off it has been fantastic, as good as I’ve ever known it. There’s a lot of talent here.”

Onuoha concern
The 47-year-old’s primary injury concern is Nedum Onuoha’s thigh problem. “We’ll make a decision on him tomorrow,” said Pearce, who could replace the Manchester City FC centre-half with club-mate Micah Richards – short of matches after a groin injury – or James Tomkins, short of experience having only made his debut on Monday. Craig Gardner may fill in at right-back having played an attacking role in that 7-0 friendly victory against Azerbaijan.

Options
Finland are at full strength, giving Kanerva decisions to make. Does he start with Juha Hakola on the left of midfield and Perparim Hetemaj behind the lone striker, likely to be Berat Sadik, in his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation? Or deploy Hetemaj on the left with Jarno Parikka playing the No10 role? There will certainly be an emphasis on strength, leading to a potential clash of styles. “We’re quite a physical team like England were,” continued the coach, “but nowadays they play more modern football with more emphasis on positions which makes things more difficult for us.”

Pride
The softly-spoken former central defender, 45, knows nothing can take away the honour of his side becoming the first team from the country to reach such a level, but he acknowledged that “we can feel even prouder after the tournament by getting some good results”. Three points on Monday would suit him perfectly.

Gardner plants seeds for England success
As he sat in a room surrounded by trophies at the home of Tvååkers IF which England are using as their training base n Sweden, Craig Gardner could be forgiven for thinking he has a realistic chance of getting hold of some silverware of his own when the UEFA European Under-21 Championship concludes in a little over two weeks’ time.

Talent
England arrived at the finals on the back of a run of only two defeats since November 2005, and having beaten Azerbaijan 7-0 in their last run-out before Monday’s Group B opener against Finland. Gardner, who scored the third n that romp with a crisply taken half-volley, said “team spirit in the camp is massive” and believes England’s unity as well as their undoubted talent could drive them on to glory in Sweden.

Spirits high’
“It’s a massive tournament and the whole of England will be watching us,” said the 22-year-old. “Of course we’re excited but everybody is relaxed as well. The mood in the camp is excellent, confidence and spirits are high and all the lads are buzzing. Obviously we’re not taking the game lightly, we know what [Finland] have got and what they can do so we’re going to go out there and as soon as that whistle goes we’ll be going for it.”

Unbelievable’ tempo
Gardner faces a nervous wait to see whether he will feature in Stuart Pearce’s starting XI. He admitted himself that the tempo in training has been “unbelievably high” and that the manager “will have headaches picking the team”, but s used to such concerns as a member of a talented Aston Villa FC squad which recently finished sixth in the Premier League and progressed to the UEFA Cup knockout rounds.

Utility man
A central midfielder by trade, he was used in various positions, including right-back, by Villa last season (appearing n 27 games) but started last Monday’s friendly against Azerbaijan as the right-sided attacker in the three-pronged forward line favoured by Pearce. A lively presence going forward and solid defensively that night, he knows Finland n Halmstad represents a far sterner challenge: “As a group we know Finland really well as we’ve been watching videos of them. They finished top of their [qualifying] group and are a strong, hard-working team so we know it’s going to be a tough game.”

Great, great team’
Club-mates James Milner and Gabriel Agbonlahor – the latter, like Gardner, Birmingham-born and a Villa supporter – are among the star names in the England squad and Gardner says “it’s been a massive encouragement” having them involved along with Theo Walcott, another with experience of the senior squad. “We’re going to go out there and players like them are going to be on fire. The gaffer has a great, great team here … so hopefully we can do well,” he added. How well remains to be seen, but the fact England have been practising penalties daily shows they are
readying themselves for challenges beyond the group stage.

Finland captain awaits Walcott reunion
Finland captain Tim Sparv may be evasive when asked how he plans to deal with former Southampton FC club-mate Theo Walcott on Monday – “I tried for two years and couldn’t” – but on the subject of his side’s chances at their maiden UEFA European Under-21 Championship he is much more candid.

English team-mate

The 22-year-old midfielder Sparv was a trainee at Southampton between 2003 and January 2007 and watched how Walcott, now 20, surged into the first team, earning a move to Arsenal FC in 2006. “Everyone in the academy team at Southampton knew he was a good player, so we’re not that surprised that things have gone very well for him,” he told uefa.com. “He was one of the best players during my time there and he progressed very fast from the youth setup to the first team – and now he is at Arsenal and in the England national team. We noticed early on that he had amazing pace and good technique. He’s going to be a big star at Arsenal and hopefully also in the England team so I wish him all the best … but not against us.

Tired legs
“England have a lot of good players but he’s one to look out for,” Sparv continued, turning attention to Monday’s meeting. “I’ll be giving some hints to my team-mates but how can you stop him? I tried for two years at Southampton and couldn’t and I’m not getting any quicker. We all have to help each other to prevent him scoring.” Walcott, as Sparv knows only too well, is a class act, but he is not the only one in the England camp, with the likes of Gabriel Agbonlahor, Lee Cattermole and Mark Noble also boasting plenty of Premier League experience. Not that Sparv feels he has reason to be overawed. “Many of the bigger players have had a long season at their club teams, so maybe they will be a bit tired when they come here – we’ll see,” he said. “On paper they have the stronger team and when they see the list of the teams we play for they must be laughing. But when the game starts, it’s eleven against eleven, so anything can happen.”

Home encounter
Against England, Sparv will have the added motivation of playing in front of his home crowd, since he joined Halmstads BK from Southampton. “It’s definitely something I am looking forward to, it’s special in many ways; it’s my home ground, it’s the opening game,” he explained. “To be the captain and lead out the team will be something of a highlight too, absolutely. I haven’t spoken to Walcott for a while now but I have been speaking to [another former Saints trainee] Martin Cranie. We all lived together for two years in Southampton so know each other very well. We’ve been giving each other grief. It will be fun meeting up with them and hopefully I’ll be the one laughing at the end of it.”