Hi all,
Today the Champions League round of 16 took place in Nyon at UEFA offices. Appealling games ahead with the remake of the last year Champions League final, a(nother) Real-Lyon, and a promising Arsenal-Barcelona. Time to update the Champions League sponsor overview article I published in August.


At the start of the Champions League season, adidas Nike and Umbro trusted the podium with respectively 11, 9 and 3 teams. Who leads the race now?
Football manufacturers invest huge amount of money to sponsor a football team. It goes without saying that the best teams are sponsored by the best football brands. As Herbert Hainer (adidas CEO) said, “It’s a global two horse race“. Well, he hits the nail on the head. The round of 16 UEFA Champions League draw provides the following figure;

AS Roma – Shakhtar Donetsk (Kappa-Nike)
AC Milan – Tottenham (adidas-Puma)
Valencia – Schalke 04 (Nike-adidas)
Inter Milan – Bayern Munich (Nike -adidas)
Lyon – Real Madrid (adidas-adidas)
Arsenal – Barcelona (Nike-Nike)
Marseille – Manchester United (adidas-Nike)
Copenhagen – Chelsea ( Kappa-adidas)

adidas: 7 teams
Nike: 6 teams
Puma: 1 team
Kappa: 2 team

Self explanatory isn’t it? Kappa unexpectedly features 2 teams at this stage, and with all respect to Copenhagen, I don’t see Chelsea failing against them. A two global horse race rightfully summarises the football manufacturers situation. The “war” is still on, undecisive, sharp and thrilling to watch. It is indeed a fierce battle as the below chart points out.

Since 1993 (beginning of the UEFA Champions League as we know it today), adidas and Nike teams lift the trophy 6 times. Which horse will go first in Wembley on May 28, 2011?

Karl Lusbec

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