UEFA Champions League 1996/97
Semi finals - First leg, 9 April 1997
Into the closing Straight
The final of the 1996/97 UEFA CHAM
PIONS LEAGUE will take place in
Munich's Olympic Stadium on 28th
May, and the four teams contesting
tonight's semi final first-leg matches
have high hopes of booking their place
at this showpiece event.
They have reached this stage after a
long and arduous campaign and have
demonstrated their determination to
beat toplevel European opponents,
both in the group competition and in
the recent quarter finals.
Borussia Dortmund take on Man
chester United, and Ajax Amsterdam
face Juventus in semi final pairings that
would have been worthy of the final
itself. There will no doubt be a fitting
atmosphere in the two stadia hosting
tonight's first-leg encounters.
In my capacity as President of the
European Football Union, I would like to
congratulate the teams on reaching the
semi-finals, and wish them every suc
ces this evening. At the same time, I
also appeal to the players, officials and
spectators in the stadia to conduct
themselves in a fair and sporting man
ner.
I wish all football fans an exciting eve
ning. Moreover, I would once again like
to thank the representatives of the
mass media, who have brought this
entertaining season to life on the
screen, in print and on the airwaves far
beyond Europe's borders.
Lennart Johansson
President of UEFA
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