2006–07 UEFA Cup

Lore & Background

Sevilla won their second consecutive UEFA Cup, defeating Espanyol 3–1 on penalties after the match finished 2–2 after extra time. Sevilla became the second side to win the competition for two consecutive seasons, following the hiatus of the original record holder Real Madrid achieved in 1985 and 1986. Walter Pandiani of Espanyol was the top goalscorer with 11 goals.

In Their Own Story

The rain fell lightly on the Hampden turf as the team bus approached the tunnel. Inside, silence hung heavy, broken only by the rhythmic tapping of boots against concrete. Trezeguet looked at his studs, knowing this was the moment that would separate a good season from an immortal one. When they stepped out into the floodlit night, the roar of the crowd washed over them, a sea of white and red flags waving in the Scottish breeze.

Reader's Guide

A total of 155 teams from 52 UEFA associations competed. Associations were allocated places according to their 2005 UEFA league coefficient. The top three associations of the 2005–06 UEFA Fair Play ranking each gained an additional berth. Eleven winning teams from the 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup and 24 teams from the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League also entered.

Did You Know?

• The final was played on 16 May 2007 at Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland.
• Sevilla qualified for the UEFA Cup through domestic performance, so no additional entry for the title holder was needed.
• The Italian match-fixing scandal led to Lazio being barred from European competition, with Palermo, Livorno, and Parma taking Italy's UEFA Cup places.
• FIFA suspended the Hellenic Football Federation on 3 July 2006 due to political interference, but reinstated it on 12 July after a law was amended.