FC BATE Borisov (Belarusian: ФК БАТЭ Барысаў, FK BATE Barysaw, pronounced [bʌˈtə][dubious – discuss]; Russian: ФК БАТЭ Борисов, FK BATE Borisov) is a Belarusian football team playing in the city of Barysaw. They compete in the Belarusian Premier League and are the reigning champions. BATE are the only Belarusian team to have qualified for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, having done so in 2008-09. Their home stadium is the Borisov City Stadium.
[edit] History
BATE, an acronym of Borisov Works of Automobile and Tractor Electric Equipment, was founded in 1973 when part of the Soviet Union, and competed in the SSR Belarusian League. The club was re-established in 1996 in independent Belarus. Since 1996, BATE have won the Belarusian Premier League five times and competed in UEFA competitions. In 2001, BATE reached the first round of the UEFA Cup, their first appearance in the competition beyond the qualifying rounds. 2008 saw BATE beat Valur, R.S.C. Anderlecht and Levski Sofia to become the first Belarusian team to qualify for the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.[1] In a group also featuring Juventus, Real Madrid and Zenit St. Petersburg, BATE finished at the bottom with three points, having drawn against Zenit in Russia, and both games with Juventus[2].
Notable former players of BATE include Vitali Kutuzov (AC Milan, Sporting CP, Avellino, Sampdoria, Parma FC, Pisa) and Yuri Zhevnov (FC Moscow). Having started their professional careers with BATE, all are also now members of the Belarus national team. BATE have been drawn in Group I of the inaugural running of the Europa Cup Competition, also in Group I are Portuguese club Benfica, EPL Team Everton & Greek side AEK Athens.
[edit] Current squad
As of April 2009.
[edit] Honours
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- 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
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- 2006
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- 1974, 1976, 1979
[edit] European record
As of June, 2009.
[edit] References
3. http://batosha-fan.ucoz.com/ Batosha-Fan
[edit] External links
