2002–03 UEFA Champions League


The 2002–03 UEFA Champions League was the 11th season of UEFA's premier European club football tournament, the UEFA [Champions League], since its rebranding in 1992, and the 48th European Cup tournament overall. The competition was won by Milan, who beat Juventus on penalties in the European Cup's 2003 [UEFA Champions League Final|first ever all-Italian final], to win their sixth European title, and its first in nine years. Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy was again the top scorer, scoring 12 goals over the two group stages and knockout stage, in addition to two goals he had scored in the qualifying phase, although his side bowed out in the quarter-finals and missed out on the chance of playing in a final at their own stadium.
Real Madrid were the defending champions, but were eliminated by Juventus in the semi-finals.
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Association team allocation

A total of 72 teams participated in the 2002–03 Champions League, from 48 of 52 UEFA associations. Two lowest-ranked associations were not admitted. Additionally, no teams from Azerbaijan were admitted this year as no official champion was decided in the 2001–02 season.
Below is the qualification scheme for the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League:
  • Associations 1–3 each have four teams qualify
  • Associations 4–6 each have three teams qualify
  • Associations 7–15 each have two teams qualify
  • Associations 16–52 each have one team qualify

Association ranking

Countries are allocated places according to their 2001 UEFA league coefficient, which takes into account their performance in European competitions from 1996–97 to 2000–01.

Distribution

Since the title holders also qualified for the Champions League Third qualifying round through their domestic league, one Third qualifying round spot was vacated. Due to this, as well as due to suspension of Azerbaijan, the following changes to the default access list are made:
  • The champions of association 16 are promoted from the second qualifying round to the third qualifying round.
  • The champions of associations 26, 27 and 28 are promoted from the first qualifying round to the second qualifying round.

Teams

League positions of the previous season shown in parentheses.
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Round and draw dates

All draws held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland unless stated otherwise.

First group stage

16 winners from the third qualifying round, 10 champions from countries ranked 1–10, and six second-placed teams from countries ranked 1–6 were drawn into eight groups of four teams each. The top two teams in each group advance to the Champions League second group stage, while the third-placed teams advance to round three of the UEFA Cup.
Tiebreakers, if necessary, are applied in the following order:
  1. Points earned in head-to-head matches between the tied teams.
  2. Total goals scored in head-to-head matches between the tied teams.
  3. Away goals scored in head-to-head matches between the tied teams.
  4. Cumulative goal difference in all group matches.
  5. Total goals scored in all group matches.
  6. Higher UEFA coefficient going into the competition.
Basel, Genk and Maccabi Haifa made their debut in the group stage. Maccabi Haifa became the first Israeli club to qualify for the group stage.

Second group stage

The eight group winners and eight group runners-up were drawn into four groups, with each one containing two group winners and two group runners-up. The top two teams in each group advanced to the Champions League knockout stage.
Tiebreakers, if necessary, are applied in the following order:
  1. Points earned in head-to-head matches between the tied teams.
  2. Total goals scored in head-to-head matches between the tied teams.
  3. Away goals scored in head-to-head matches between the tied teams.
  4. Cumulative goal difference in all group matches.
  5. Total goals scored in all group matches.
  6. Higher UEFA coefficient going into the competition.