FC BATE Borisov

Formed: 1973
Nickname: Zholto-Sinie (Yellow-Blues)

UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets)
• none

Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets)
• League title: 7 (2010)
• Belarus Cup: 2 (2010)

History 
• Borisov’s most significant footballing export started life as the team of the BATE factory in 1973 – the initials stand for Borisov Automobile and Tractor Electronics – playing in the eastern second division of the Soviet-era Belarusian second division, and earning promotion to the top flight in their first season.

• They went on to win the Belarusian top division title at the first attempt too, that 1974 success followed by further titles in 1976 and 1979 as well as the 1976 Soviet Belarus Cup. However the team was disbanded in 1981, with the likes of FC Berezina, FC Avtomobilist, FC Iskra and FC Fomalgaout representing the city in the following years.

• New sponsors revived the club in March 1996 under the leadership of president Anatoliy Kapsky and they swiftly rose from the third division in post-independence Belarus, finishing second when they made their top-division debut in 1998 and winning the first of their two titles under coach Yuri Puntus the following year.

• Puntus oversaw a second title triumph in 2002 but was replaced by Igor Kriushenko ahead of the 2005 campaign; the former BATE reserve coach won the 2006 league and cup double and another title the following season before his assistant Viktor Goncharenko took his place.

• Barely 30 when he took charge, the former BATE defender led the club to three further titles and into the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League and through two UEFA Europa League group stages in subsequent seasons; in 2010/11 they qualified for the spring stages of a UEFA club competition for the first time.

Club records
Most appearances: Dmitri Likhtarovich (317)*
Most goals: Nikolai Ryndyuk (74)
Record victory: BATE 10-0 FC Stroitel (Belarusian second division, 22 October 1997)
Record defeat: BATE 1-7 FC Lokomotiv Moskva (UEFA Cup second qualifying round, 12 August 1999)

From: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2012/clubs/club=66168/profile/index.html

FC Viktoria Plzeň Profile

Formed: 1911
Nickname: Rudí (Reds)

UEFA club competition honours
• None

Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets)
• League title: 1 (2011)
• National cup: 2 (2010)

History
• Viktoria were founded on 27 August 1911, losing 7-3 against local rivals FC Olympia Plzeň in their first fixture. They remained an amateur side until 1929, but after turning professional, made their debut in the top division in Czechoslovakia two years later.

• A fourth-place finish in the 1935 season earned Plzeň the chance to compete in the Central European International Cup, where they took on a Juventus team featuring a number of FIFA World Cup winners: they drew 3-3 at home but lost 5-1 in Turin.

• The city famous for its Pilsener beer had to wait over 30 years for another chance to impress in Europe, having beaten FC Spartak Trnava to earn their first major honour, the 1970/71 Czechoslovakian Cup. FC Bayern München proved too hot to handle in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, with Viktoria losing 7-1 on aggregate.

• While Plzeň produced world-class players like midfield general Pavel Nedvěd and the goalkeeper Petr Čech, they regularly saw their top stars leave for the big Prague clubs as the team from Western Bohemia bounced between the top two divisions.

• Pavel Vrba was appointed coach in 2008, and led his side to a 2-1 win against FK Jablonec in the 2009/10 Czech Cup final. The Slovakian was to trump that achievement in the year of the club’s centenary, winning the league title and taking Plzeň into the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Club records
Most league appearances: Vladimír Bína (261)
Most league goals: Vladimír Perk (130)
Record victory: 9-0 against ČSD Plzeň (1952)
Record defeat: 10-1 against AC Sparta Praha (1935)

From: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2012/clubs/club=64388/profile/index.html

AC Milan Profile

Formed: 1899
Nickname: Rossoneri (Red and Blacks), il Diavolo (the Devil)

UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets)
• European Champion Clubs’ Cup: 1963, 1969, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007; (1958), (1993), (1995), (2005)
• UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: 1968, 1973; (1974)
• UEFA Super Cup: 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007; (1973), (1993)

Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets)
• League title: 18 (2011)
• Italian Cup: 5 (2003)

History
• The Milan Football and Cricket Club was founded on 16 December 1899 by a group of English businessmen led by Alfred Edwards. Tyre magnate and club president Piero Pirelli oversaw the construction of San Siro in 1926, but it was not until the 1950s that the Rossoneri began producing results to match that famous stage.

• In 1945 the club changed its name to Associazione Calcio Milan and it brought good luck, the Rossoneri celebrating their first Scudetto in 44 years in 1950/51 with a team led by the ‘Grenoli’ forward line comprising Swedes Gunnar Gren, Gunnar Nordahl and Nils Liedholm.

• Five years after a 3-2 extra-time defeat by Real Madrid CF in their first European Champion Clubs’ Cup final, the Rossoneri lifted the continental title after a 2-1 victory against SL Benfica at Wembley in 1963. With Gianni Rivera at the fulcrum Milan continued to pick up silverware, including a second European Cup in 1969, and he was still there when they claimed a tenth Italian title a decade later.

• In the mid-1980s Milan were transformed by Silvio Berlusconi. After appointing the little-known Arrigo Sacchi as coach, Dutch trio Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard helped the Rossoneri win back-to-back European Cups then the 1991/92 Serie A title without losing a game in Fabio Capello’s first season in charge. After losing the 1993 UEFA Champions League final to Olympique de Marseille, Milan demolished FC Barcelona in the showpiece the following year.

• Sacchi protégé Carlo Ancelotti became coach in November 2001 and took Milan to another Scudetto and two UEFA Champions League titles. In 2003 captain Paolo Maldini lifted the European Cup in England 40 years after his father had done the same. Four years later the Rossoneri atoned for their defeat on penalties by Liverpool FC in the 2005 final by beating them in Athens to clinch the trophy for a seventh time. Milan appointed Massimiliano Allegri as coach in 2010 and he enjoyed success in his debut season, securing the Diavolo’s first Scudetto since 2004.

Club records
Most appearances: Paolo Maldini (902)
Most goals: Gunnar Nordahl (221)
Record victory: Milan 13-0 Modena FC (First Division, 4 October 1914)
Record defeat: Milan 0-8 Bologna FC (First Division, 5 November 1922)

From: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2012/clubs/club=50058/profile/index.html

Barcelona FC profile

Formed: 1899
Nicknames: Azulgrana (Blue and Reds, Spanish), Blaugrana (Blue and Reds, Catalan)

UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets)
• European Champion Clubs’ Cup: 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011; (1961), (1986), (1994)
• UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup: 1979, 1982, 1989, 1997; (1969), (1991)
• UEFA Super Cup: 1992, 1997, 2009; (1979), (1982), (1989), (2006)

Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets)
• League title: 21 (2011)
• Spanish Cup: 25 (2009)

History
• Swiss businessman Hans Gamper founded FC Barcelona after placing an advert in a local sports magazine following his arrival in the city. Several football enthusiasts responded to Gamper’s notice looking for players and the club held its first official meeting on 29 November 1899. Barça lost their first game 1-0 to a team of English expatriates.

• The 1950s brought a surge in popularity – not to mention Liga titles Nos5, 6 and 7 – thanks to the likes of Ladislau Kubala, Estanislao Basora and César Rodríguez. In September 1957 Barça moved to what is now known as the Camp Nou but it was the arrival of Johan Cruyff in 1973 that heralded a new beginning for the club. Along with star turns Carles Rexach, Juan Manuel Asensi and Hugo Sotil, Cruyff immediately won the Liga title.

• Johan Neeskens and Hans Krankl were influential as the team defeated Fortuna Düsseldorf 1895 4-3 in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final, Barça winning the trophy again three years later. Defeat by FC Steaua Bucureşti on penalties in the 1986 European Champion Clubs’ Cup final eventually brought a return of Cruyff, this time as coach, and the Dutchman built a side that would gain fame as the ‘Dream Team’.

• Barcelona won a third UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup title in 1989, consecutive Liga championships between 1991 and 1994, and, in 1992, Ronald Koeman’s extra-time strike secured European Cup final victory against UC Sampdoria. Sir Bobby Robson led Barça to a record-breaking fourth UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup win in 1997 though a lull followed until the arrival of club president Joan Laporta in 2003.

• Frank Rijkaard led the side to back-to-back Liga titles and goals from Samuel Eto’o and Juliano Belletti earned UEFA Champions League glory over Arsenal FC in 2006. Better was yet to come, however, as Josep Guardiola guided Barcelona to an unprecedented six trophies in 2009, following that up with Liga successes in 2010 and 2011. A third European Cup in five years was won with victory against Manchester United FC at Wembley in 2011.

Club records
Most appearances: Xavi Hernández (577)*
Most goals: César Rodríguez (235)
Record league victory: Barcelona 10-1 CG Tarragona (11 September 1949)
Record league defeat: Athletic Club 12-1 Barcelona (8 February 1931)

From: http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2012/clubs/club=50080/profile/index.html