- The UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour was kicked-off today in Milan, during an official ceremony that marked the beginning of UniCredit Group's three year sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League.
- For five days the Trophy will be exhibited in Piazza Duomo, enabling the public to experience the excitement of the UEFA Champions League atmosphere.
- After Milan, the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour, presented by UniCredit will continue its journey intoother European countries.
Today UniCredit Group inaugurated its three year sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League by hosting the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour in Milan, a glamorous event that enables football fans and the general public to see the Trophy and feel the excitement of the most prestigious club football competition.
From today through September 20th, Piazza Duomo, in the historical heart of the city, will provide the setting for the Trophy Tour Village. It will house an array of attractions, free of charge, to explore the iconic world of the UEFA Champions League.
Passing through the "players' tunnel", visitors will enter a stimulating exhibition space comprising photos, videos and multi-media effects that bring to life the great contests, goals and historic moments of the tournament. A "Wall of fame" is dedicated to the greatest ever champions of the European Cup and its successor, the UEFA Champions League, while big screens also recall magic moments of the prestigious tournament.
Representatives of UniCredit Group, UEFA and the City of Milan, as well as international football celebrities like Luís Figo and Franco Baresi, attended a press conference to launch the event this morning in Piazza Duomo, in the venue that will host the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour.
Paolo Fiorentino, Deputy CEO of UniCredit Group, pointed out that "thanks to UniCredit the Trophy is on display to the Milanese public for the first time since the 2001 Final. Everyone will be able to be near the trophy and experience the excitement of this great event first-hand, an event that unites not only football fans but sports enthusiasts from all countries. The sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League, he explained, "represents a major step in developing our brand across Europe because, thanks to its global impact, UniCredit Group will gain significant and long-term visibility and brand awareness."
Philippe Le Floc'h, UEFA Marketing Director added:" With the help of UniCredit and its strong presence in Europe, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, the UEFA Champions League will continue to expand its brand in the region, and the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour is a key initiative in this direction". Mr. Faulkner feels the partnership is mutually beneficial - "We are also confident that the UEFA Champions League, as a leading sporting competition, will assist UniCredit Group to develop and enhance its brand awareness and identity."
Alan Rizzi, Sports councillor of the municipality of Milan, said: "It is a great honour for our city to host the UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour and we are delighted that UniCredit and UEFA have chosen Milan, which was this year awarded also as European Capital of Sport, for the kick-off event. Our commitment towards great sporting events will not stop here, as we hope to host the final of the Champions League in the Meazza stadium in the future"
The UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour will also visit Zagreb (Croatia) from the 25th to 26th of September, Bucharest (Romania) from the 3rd to the 4th of October, Budapest (Hungary) from the 10th to 11th of October, before concluding in Sofia (Bulgaria) from the 17th to the 18th of October. A second group of Central Eastern European countries will be visited in 2010, and a third group in 2011.
The Tour represents one of the main initiatives of UniCredit Group's three year sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League, a strategic undertaking which will enable UniCredit Group to increase its visibility as a European banking group with strong and deep roots in 22 countries. Through the UEFA Champions League sponsorship, UniCredit Group will also develop, in partnership with local communities in countries where it is present, a series of social initiatives that will strengthen the sense of belonging to the Group for all of its employees.
Milan, 16 September 2009
About UniCredit Group
UniCredit Group is a major international financial institution with strong roots in 22 European countries as well as representative offices in 27 other markets, with approximately 10,000 branches, over 168,000 employees at 30 June 2009.
In the CEE region, UniCredit Group operates the largest international banking network with over 4,000 branches and outlets.
The Group operates in the following countries: Austria Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine.
Enquires:
UniCredit Group Media Relations:
Tel. +39 02 88628236; e-mail: MediaRelations@unicreditgroup.eu
UEFA Media Relations
Rob Faulkner, e-mail : Robert.Faulkner@uefa.ch