ROUXBAIX FUTSAL WILL RETURN TO THE UEFA FUTSAL CUP FOR THE 2006/07 EDITION AFTER CLAIMING THEIR THIRD FRENCH TITLE IN A ROW

uefa.com, Switzerland
April 18 2006

Final glory

The northern club were 6-5 winners in Beauvais against
Issy-les-Moulineaux Futsal in a repeat of the 2005 final. It means
the club will again be France’s representatives in Europe’s premier
club competition, having been involved in this year’s preliminary
round. The 2005/06 UEFA Futsal Cup was the first time a team from
France had entered the competition and it was a major step forward
for French Futsal.

High hopes

In a four-team mini-tournament played in England, Roubaix failed to win
any of their three matches against Tal Grig Yerevan of Armenia, hosts
London White Bear FC and Dinamo Tirana of Albania but expect better
things next time around. “Last year we were only discovering the UEFA
Futsal Cup, now we expect to improve,” said coach Nordine Benmarouche.

Top team

Only formed in 2002, Roubaix were regional champions of the north
within two years and quickly became the nation’s top team. However,
they were always rated as outsiders in the London mini-tournament
last September, but hinted at a major shock when David Vieira gave
them a seventh-minute lead against favourites Yerevan in their first
match. However, the Armenian champions eventually won 7-2, and London
defeated Roubaix 6-0. All but out, Roubaix then faced Tirana and
lost 5-1.