Europa trophy handed over to UEFA

The UEFA Europa League trophy, formerly the UEFA Cup, was officially handed over to the city of Hamburg ahead of the 2010 final being played there on 12th of May.

The UEFA Cup was inaugurated back in 1972 - this however, is the first season of UEFA Europa League. Four teams are left in the competition - Spain's Atletico Madrid, Fulham and Liverpool, along with German club Hamburg. But with just over a month until the final at Hamburg's ground, the trophy was handed over to the European football governing body by a delegation from last season's UEFA Cup winners, Shakhtar Donetsk. 73-year-old Uwe Seeler, a former Hamburg striker and the chosen ambassador for the 2010 UEFA Europa League final still carries a flame for his old side.

Uwe Seeler, Europa League Final Ambassador, said, "I am optimistic that HSV will succeed. It is a dream come true for every player to reach the final. I think if HSV make the final they will have good chance of winning. The Hamburg team know what is going on. They all want to win the cup."

Hamburg, a host city for the 2006 World Cup, staged one final during the UEFA Cup era.