Spain spared Scotland showdown

Last season's UEFA European Under-19 Championship finalists Spain and Scotland will be kept apart in the 2006/07 Elite round after the seedings were announced for the 16.00CET draw on 5 December in Nyon.

Trio join qualifiers
Spain, who lifted the trophy for the third time in five years in Poland this July, were one of three teams given a bye to this stage along with fellow top seeds England and Italy. They join 25 successful teams from the qualifying round in the draw for seven groups of four nations, which will be conducted by UEFA Technical Director Andy Roxburgh, UEFA Youth and Amateur Committee chairman Jim Boyce and the Fair Play winner at the 2005/06 finals, Gérard Piqué of Spain. Only the winners of each mini-tournament, to be played at one venue next spring, will progress to the finals from 16-27 July along with hosts Austria.

Scotland seeded
Scotland, like Hungary, Israel and Romania, will be seeded along with Spain, England and Italy in Pot A due to their qualifying round results. The second group contains 2005 winners France, while a team to watch in Pot C will be Turkey, who contain much of the squad that took the 2005 UEFA European U17 Championship title. The team they beat on that day, the Netherlands, are in Pot D. One team from every seeding pot will be placed in each group, with sides that played each other in the qualifying round being kept apart as far as possible.

Seeding groups
Pot A: England, Spain (holders), Italy, Scotland, Hungary, Israel, Romania.

Pot B: Republic of Ireland, France, Serbia, Czech Republic, Norway, Portugal, Croatia.

Pot C: Germany, Turkey, Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland, Russia, Iceland.

Pot D: Greece, Poland, Netherlands, Georgia, Bulgaria, Denmark, Azerbaijan.