Ultimate stage for stars - Olsson

'New highs'
Speaking at the UEFA Champions League first knockout round draw in Nyon, Switzerland today, Mr Olsson said that European club football's most prestigious competition had a unique place not only in the sporting world, but also "in today's society". The Swede said: "We have all acknowledged new highs both in terms of the intensity and standard of play throughout the group phase, which acutely reflects the positioning of the UEFA Champions League matches as the ultimate stage upon which the world's best players are performing.

Unrivalled success
"The success of this competition remains unrivalled, and much of that is down to its integrity as a sporting competition," Mr Olsson continued. "It is vitally important that we acknowledge and protect the true sporting nature of this competition. This is the core attribute that drives the competition and with it the interest from fans, television and commercial partners alike.

'Challenges and pressures'
"We need their involvement to make the competition commercially successful and therefore allow us to invest into the grassroots of the game to produce the next generation of players. That is why, at a time when many challenges and pressures threaten the game, UEFA remains extremely vigilant and is fully determined to take - in agreement with the football family - all necessary steps to defend and preserve its integrity and its unique place in today's society."

Highlights of group stage
Mr Olsson also touched on some of the highlights of this year's group stage, which featured 241 goals in the 96 matches - an increase of 13 goals on last season's total. "We have seen clubs from the former east doing well, as well as so-called smaller teams like LOSC Lille Métropole, who have for the first time reached the knockout phase this season, and FC København," the UEFA CEO said.

Respect for officials
"This is all part of the UEFA Champions League - giving teams from different backgrounds the opportunity to pit themselves against some of the biggest names in Europe and perhaps cause an upset. And now, as we reach the last 16, the format changes to direct knockout and the excitement increases." In addition, Mr Olsson called for fair play and sportsmanship, stressing the need to respect both opponents and match officials. "Remember that without the officials, we would not have any matches," he said.