UEFA Champions League 1996/97
Quarter finals - First leg March 1997
Welcome to the second half of
the 1996/97 UEFA CHAMPIONS
LEAGUE
This evening's programme heralds the
start of the second half of the 1996/97
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE season.
Following the opening phase, in which
16 teams in four groups contested the
group competition under the league
system, the eight remaining teams now
begin the knock-out stage, which will
culminate in the final at Munich's world-
famous Olympic Stadium on 28th May
1997.
I am convinced that every one of the
quarter-finalists has made the best
possible use of the winter break, to pre
pare for the closing phase of Europe's
flagship competition for club-teams.
The major surprise so far in in this
season's UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
was no doubt the home defeat suffered
by AC Milan against Rosenborg in
December - a result which put the
Norwegian side through to the quarter
finals. Other favoured teams, such as
Ajax Amsterdam, had to work hard to
reach the last eight, proving once more
that so-called weaker clubs have every
change of upsetting more illustrious
opposition, despite the league system
which operates for the opening phase
of the UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.
This all helps to give football its fascina
tion, and I am sure that similar surprises
are in store for us in the knock-out
phase.
In my capacity as President of UEFA,
I would like to wish the quarter-final
participants every success, and hope
that the thousands of fans in the stadia,
as well as millions of enthusiasts in front
of their TV screens, enjoy an exciting
evening's football.
Lennart Johansson
President of UEFA
4
