Rome will host the UEFA Champions League final May 27, which soccer fans and fanatics from all over the world will tune in to, making this the most popular annual sporting event in the world. The entire soccer world will watch Rome’s Olympic Stadium (Stadio Olimpico), which is the home of A.S. Roma and S.S. Lazio, on 27 May 2009 for the UEFA Champions League tournament final event.Rome's Olympic Stadium was built in 1936 and has a capacity of 82,307. It was the site of the 1960 Summer Olympics, but has also served as the location of the 1987 World Athletics Championships and the 1990 FIFA World Cup
UEFA Champions League has captured the hearts and the imaginations of soccer fans across the globe. The tournament awards the most prestigious trophy in all of European football and is the ultimate goal for any major football club within the continent. The actual event is comprised of a number of stages including knockout and qualifying rounds. The championship has been awarded to 21 different clubs in its history and Real Madrid has proven to be the most successful club, winning the tournament an unprecedented 9 times.
Altogether there are 76 teams that will or have been involved in the 2008-2009 UEFA Champions League in Rome, Italy.
The UEFA standings, as of April 17, 2009 6 weeks from the final:
| Group A | Pld | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| Roma | 6 | 12 |
| Chelsea | 6 | 11 |
| Bordeaux | 6 | 7 |
| CFR Cluj | 6 | 4 |
| Group C | Pld | Pts |
| Barcelona | 6 | 13 |
| Sporting | 6 | 12 |
| Shakhtar | 6 | 9 |
| Basel | 6 | 1 |
| Group E | Pld | Pts |
| Man. United | 6 | 10 |
| Villarreal | 6 | 9 |
| AaB | 6 | 6 |
| Celtic | 6 | 5 |
| Group G | Pld | Pts |
| Porto | 6 | 12 |
| Arsenal | 6 | 11 |
| Dynamo Kyiv | 6 | 8 |
| Fenerbahçe | 6 | 2 |
| Group B | Pld | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| Panathinaikos | 6 | 10 |
| Internazionale | 6 | 8 |
| Bremen | 6 | 7 |
| Anorthosis | 6 | 6 |
| Group D | Pld | Pts |
| Liverpool | 6 | 14 |
| Atlético | 6 | 12 |
| Marseille | 6 | 4 |
| PSV | 6 | 3 |
| Group F | Pld | Pts |
| Bayern | 6 | 14 |
| Lyon | 6 | 11 |
| Fiorentina | 6 | 6 |
| Steaua | 6 | 1 |
| Group H | Pld | Pts |
| Juventus | 6 | 12 |
| Real Madrid | 6 | 12 |
| Zenit | 6 | 5 |
| BATE | 6 | 3 |
UEFA Semi-Finals First Leg April 28 & April 29
UEFA Semi-Finals Second May 5 & May 6
| Barcelona | - | Chelsea | ||
| Man. United | - | Arsenal |
For more on Italy travel and life in Italy today visit WebVisionItaly.com.
