How a Russian club made history in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup tournament
In short: The 2004–05 UEFA Cup marked a turning point in European football, introducing a new group phase and a revamped qualification structure. Amidst 145 competing teams, CSKA Moscow achieved a historic milestone for Russian football, overcoming a deficit in the final to claim the title on their opponent's home turf.
The 2004–05 season represented the 34th edition of the UEFA Cup and featured significant structural changes. Following the 1999 abolition of the Cup Winners' Cup, organizers implemented a new format that included an extra qualifying round and a group stage. This phase consisted of eight groups of five teams, where each club played two home and two away matches. The top three finishers from each group advanced to the knock-out rounds, where they were joined by eight teams dropping down from the UEFA Champions League group stage.
Participation was determined by UEFA country coefficients, which assessed performance from 1998–99 through 2002–03. A total of 145 clubs from 51 associations entered the competition, with Kazakhstan being the only member unable to participate due to licensing failures. The access list was complex, incorporating teams transferred from the Champions League and the UEFA Intertoto Cup, alongside additional berths awarded through Fair Play rankings. Defending champions Valencia, who had dropped out of the Champions League, were notably eliminated in the Round of 32 by Steaua București.
The final, held on May 18, 2005, took place at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon. CSKA Moscow faced Sporting CP in the Portuguese club's own stadium. Despite falling behind early, the Russian side mounted a comeback to win the match, which was officiated by Graham Poll. This victory was particularly significant as it marked the first time a Russian team had ever secured a major European competition title, cementing the 2004–05 campaign as a landmark moment in the history of the sport.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: 2004–05 UEFA Cup
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