The 2004–05 UEFA Cup was the 34th edition of the UEFA Cup. The format of the competition had changed from previous seasons, replacing that from the previous one after the abolition of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1999; an extra qualifying round was introduced, as was a group phase after the first round. The group stage operated in a single round-robin format consisting of eight groups of five teams, each team plays two games at home and two away and the top three finishers of each group progress to the knock-out round, joining the eight third-placed teams from the UEFA Champions League group stage.
The tournament was won by CSKA Moscow, coming from behind in the final against Sporting CP, in whose home stadium the match was played. It was the first win by a Russian side in any European competition. The match was refereed by Graham Poll.
Slovenia (SVN): league runners-up Olimpija Ljubljana failed to obtain UEFA license, as did another two club by table position. UEFA Cup spot was then given to 6th-placed Primorje.[2]
Georgia (GEO): league runners-up Sioni Bolnisi were banned by UEFA due to crowd violence in the domestic season's final match and were replaced by 4th-placed FC Tbilisi.[4]
Kazakhstan (KAZ): 2003 Kazakhstan Premier League runners-up Tobol and 2003 Cup winners Kairat failed to obtain UEFA licences, along with all other Kazakhstani clubs, therefore Kazakhstan was not represented in Europe in 2004–05 season.[5]
Teams that have qualified for the group stage of the 2004–05 UEFA Cup Red: Group A; Yellow: Group B; Green: Group C; Black: Group D; Purple: Group E; Pink: Group F; Blue: Group G; Orange: Group H.
Based on paragraph 4.06 in the UEFA regulations for the current season, tiebreakers, if necessary, are applied in the following order:[8]
Cumulative goal difference in group matches.
Total goals scored in group matches.
Away goals scored in group matches.
Higher number of UEFA coefficient points accumulated by the club in question, as well as its association, over the previous five seasons (see paragraph 6.03 of the UEFA regulations).
^"Dates released for 2004/05". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 27 May 2004. Archived from the original on 28 August 2004. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
^"4. UEFA Cup Finals"(PDF). UEFA Europa League Statistics Handbook 2012/13. Nyon: Union of European Football Associations. 28 May 2013. p. 72. Archived from the original(PDF) on 4 June 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2024.