Clubs serving up treat in quest for success

With exciting knockout phases to come in the spring, the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League continue to reflect the strength of European club football.

The UEFA Champions League round of 16 draw features not only legendary European football names, but also newcomers to this stage of the continental club game's blue-riband competition.

"These days it goes without saying that the very best of club football at European level can be found in the UEFA Champions League," UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said at Friday's draw ceremony in Nyon. "This continues to be the best club competition in the world – indeed, the ultimate stage.

"This year the UEFA Champions League group stage has again provided plenty of great games, top action and loads of goals," he added. "In total, 276 goals were scored in the group matches."

Mr Infantino pointed to a number of firsts in this season's campaign. "Let's mention, for example, the experiment with the two additional assistant referees, which was carried out for the first time in the UEFA Champions League group stage and will continue in the knockout phase," he said. "This system ensures a better control and vision of matches for the referee, and we really believe that football will benefit a lot from this.

"Another first concerns FC København, who became the first Danish team to make it through the group stage to the knockout phase. Tottenham Hotspur FC, in their first-ever UEFA Champions League campaign, topped their group, and also FC Shakhtar Donetsk also qualified for the round of 16 for the first time.

"We are now left with some of the biggest and most well-known and legendary European club sides, along with two new ones, as we head into the knockout phase of the competition," the UEFA general secretary concluded.

Mr Infantino had positive words for the UEFA Europa League too. "This is now the second full year of the UEFA Europa League," he told the audience for the round of 32 and 16 draws. "Both the clubs and supporters are more used to the format and the competition. And the overwhelming response is that they all like it.

"The rendez-vous for fans on a Thursday for more top football action from all four corners of Europe is now fixed in the television schedules and in the minds of fans.

"Along with some big footballing names," the UEFA general secretary went on, "there are new names from less well-known places that are making their mark on the European football stage. Seventeen UEFA member associations are still represented in the competition.

"And it is exactly this variety of teams and countries, along with the sporting chance of progressing to one of Europe's top showcase club finals, that drives the clubs on in their quest for European success."

Mr Infantino reflected also on the 390 goals scored in this term's 144 UEFA Europa League matches. "There is no doubt that this competition really catches the public imagination as we enter the knockout rounds on the road to the UEFA Europa League final in Dublin on Wednesday 18 May 2011."