UEFA have announced wide-ranging plans to engage with fans through Facebook when the Europa League knockout stages begin in February.
The competition already has a presence on the social networking site with over 150,000 fans (http://www.facebook.com/#!/uefaeuropaleague) and Europe’s governing body will be hoping to attract far more with the launch of a series of initiatives between now and the final in May.
Ahead of the round of 32 a fans’ social mosaic will be launched which will create a picture of the Europa League trophy using users’ profile pictures.
In the next round of games fans will be encouraged to share their location and state which game they are watching as UEFA look to “light-up Europe”.
At the quarter-final stage supporters will be asked to upload pictures of their favourite Europa League memories which will then be voted on by other fans.
The completed social mosaic will return ahead of the semi-finals and users will be able to win prizes by finding special tiles among the profile pictures.
For the final, which is being played in Bucharest on May 9, fans will be asked for vote for their favourite Europa League player from a pre-selected list with the winners receiving a match ball.
Manchester United, Manchester City and Stoke are England’s three remaining teams in the competition which returns on the week beginning February 13.
