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Europa League Preview Round-Up: Groups A-F
Goal.com's Paul Madden takes a look at Europe's silver medal competition...
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Oct 21, 2009 11:21:29 AM
Group A
Ajax - Dinamo Zagreb
Timisoara - Anderlecht
Ajax have drawn their first two games of their Europa League campaign this season and have so far failed to replicate their fine domestic form, which continued with a 4-0 win over Willem II at the weekend. Krunoslav Jurcic's Zagreb side lost for the first time in their domestic league at the weekend but are coming off the back of a 3-0 away win at Timisoara in their last Europa League outing. The two back-to-back meetings between these sides will have a large bearing on which of them gets out of the group along with the in-form Anderlecht.
After a plucky scoreless draw against Ajax in Amsterdam, Timisoara were hammered at home by Dinamo Zagreb. Yet they go into this game with an undefeated domestic record so far this season, with nine goals coming in their last two league games without reply. The visitors are also in fine form and are just one point off the top of the Belgian championship after 11 games. A positive result here would give them a great chance of qualifying with two home games still to come.
Group B
Lille - Genoa
Valencia - Slavia Prague
Lille will be looking to make home advantage count against Genoa. Despite some indifferent home form so far this term, Lille have faired quite well in Europe, drawing with Valencia before hammering Slavia Prague 5-1 on the road. Genoa have won just one of their last six in all competitions and have only managed two clean sheets in 12 games. Gian Piero Gasperini's side will be keen for a positive result here to put the 5-0 mauling at home to Inter behind them.
Valencia are coming off the back of a 0-0 draw with Barcelona and could welcome the Primera Division's leading scorer, David Villa, back for this game. They have never lost to Czech opponents in six previous European encounters and the visitors, Slavia Prague, are unlikely to change that statistic. They currently lie bottom of the group, with two defeats, including a 5-1 drubbing at home against Lille last time out. Karel Jarolim will be aware that his side must get something from this tie if his side are to have any hope of progressing. Meanwhile, opposite number Unai Emery will see the two back-to-back meetings with the Czechs as a chance to ensure qualification to the next round sooner than expected.
Group C
Hapoel Tel-Aviv - Rapid Vienna
Celtic - Hamburg
Although they were beaten at home at the weekend, Rapid Vienna were undefeated in ten matches beforehand. After an opening day victory over Hamburg, they then managed a 1-1 draw away to Celtic. Hapoel have already won their previous home game, which was against Celtic, and Eli Guttman will be looking to make full use of domestic advantage in order to progress his side.
Tony Mowbray's Celtic side have it all to do to, with just one point a from their opening two games. Their draw against Rapid Vienna three weeks ago was followed by a defeat to fierce city rivals Rangers and a draw against Motherwell last weekend. Bruno Labbadia's Hamburg side still sit joint top of the Bundesliga after a scoreless draw with fellow leaders Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend. A positive result here will put them a step closer to the knockout phase as they have two home games remaining.
Group D
Hertha - Heerenveen
Ventspils - Sporting
Hertha are on a miserable run at the moment domestically, having lost eight in a row and sitting at the foot of the Bundesliga. Heerenveen haven't faired much better, recording just two wins all season, so both sides can go into this game looking for a victory that might give them a confidence boost to ease their domestic woes.
Since their last outing in Europe, Ventspils have put themselves into pole position to win the Latvian championship. They boast a one point lead but still face a showdown with second placed Liepajas Metalurgs. As a result, they may have one eye on domestic affairs once again. Paulo Bento's Sporting already find themselves ten points adrift of leaders Braga in the Portuguese league but have so far managed two wins from two in the Europa League.
Group E
CSKA Sofia - Basel
Fulham - Roma
CSKA have only conceded one goal are boast a near perfect domestic record this season but go into this tie bottom of Group E with just one point. They are unbeaten in nine home games in Europe going into this fixture.The visitors have won seven out of their last eight in all competitions, with the defeat at Craven Cottage earlier this month the only blot on their copy book. Their win over Roma on the first day of the Europa League gives them genuine hope of progressing.
Since beating Basel earlier this month, Fulham have started to improve their domestic fortunes, with a draw and a win in their last two games. Manager Roy Hodgson has had three spells in Italian football and faced his opposite number on six occasions, when Claudio Ranieri was at Fiorentina, but never won. Roma have won just once in 13 attempts in England and have endured a difficult start to the season with a change at the helm. Like his counterpart, Roma boss Ranieri is no stranger to English football, managing Fulham's neighbours, Chelsea, for four years. During that period, he never lost to the Cottagers.
Group F
Panathinaikos - Sturm Graz
Galatasaray - Dinamo Bucharest
Henk ten Cate's side have already lost at home to Galatasaray and can't afford to drop any more points on their own soil if they are to progress beyond the group stages. They needed a last minute goal from Djibril Cisse at the weekend to earn a draw that leaves them level with Olympiacos at the top of their domestic league. Sturm Graz have only lost once away from home so far this season and go into the game on the back of a victory over Rapid Vienna at the weekend.
Frank Rijkaard's men will have one eye on the weekend showdown with Turkish league leaders Fenerbahce as a win in that fixture will see them climb into first spot. However, they will still fancy their chances were. Dinamo managed an impressive away win at Sturm Graz but followed that up with defeat at home to Panathinaikos. Caretaker coach Ion Marin knows his side will face a difficult task against a team who have never lost to Romanian opposition at home.
Paul Madden, Goal.com
Ajax - Dinamo Zagreb
Timisoara - Anderlecht
Ajax have drawn their first two games of their Europa League campaign this season and have so far failed to replicate their fine domestic form, which continued with a 4-0 win over Willem II at the weekend. Krunoslav Jurcic's Zagreb side lost for the first time in their domestic league at the weekend but are coming off the back of a 3-0 away win at Timisoara in their last Europa League outing. The two back-to-back meetings between these sides will have a large bearing on which of them gets out of the group along with the in-form Anderlecht.
After a plucky scoreless draw against Ajax in Amsterdam, Timisoara were hammered at home by Dinamo Zagreb. Yet they go into this game with an undefeated domestic record so far this season, with nine goals coming in their last two league games without reply. The visitors are also in fine form and are just one point off the top of the Belgian championship after 11 games. A positive result here would give them a great chance of qualifying with two home games still to come.
Group B
Lille - Genoa
Valencia - Slavia Prague
Lille will be looking to make home advantage count against Genoa. Despite some indifferent home form so far this term, Lille have faired quite well in Europe, drawing with Valencia before hammering Slavia Prague 5-1 on the road. Genoa have won just one of their last six in all competitions and have only managed two clean sheets in 12 games. Gian Piero Gasperini's side will be keen for a positive result here to put the 5-0 mauling at home to Inter behind them.
Valencia are coming off the back of a 0-0 draw with Barcelona and could welcome the Primera Division's leading scorer, David Villa, back for this game. They have never lost to Czech opponents in six previous European encounters and the visitors, Slavia Prague, are unlikely to change that statistic. They currently lie bottom of the group, with two defeats, including a 5-1 drubbing at home against Lille last time out. Karel Jarolim will be aware that his side must get something from this tie if his side are to have any hope of progressing. Meanwhile, opposite number Unai Emery will see the two back-to-back meetings with the Czechs as a chance to ensure qualification to the next round sooner than expected.
Group C
Hapoel Tel-Aviv - Rapid Vienna
Celtic - Hamburg
Although they were beaten at home at the weekend, Rapid Vienna were undefeated in ten matches beforehand. After an opening day victory over Hamburg, they then managed a 1-1 draw away to Celtic. Hapoel have already won their previous home game, which was against Celtic, and Eli Guttman will be looking to make full use of domestic advantage in order to progress his side.
Tony Mowbray's Celtic side have it all to do to, with just one point a from their opening two games. Their draw against Rapid Vienna three weeks ago was followed by a defeat to fierce city rivals Rangers and a draw against Motherwell last weekend. Bruno Labbadia's Hamburg side still sit joint top of the Bundesliga after a scoreless draw with fellow leaders Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend. A positive result here will put them a step closer to the knockout phase as they have two home games remaining.
Group D
Hertha - Heerenveen
Ventspils - Sporting
Hertha are on a miserable run at the moment domestically, having lost eight in a row and sitting at the foot of the Bundesliga. Heerenveen haven't faired much better, recording just two wins all season, so both sides can go into this game looking for a victory that might give them a confidence boost to ease their domestic woes.
Since their last outing in Europe, Ventspils have put themselves into pole position to win the Latvian championship. They boast a one point lead but still face a showdown with second placed Liepajas Metalurgs. As a result, they may have one eye on domestic affairs once again. Paulo Bento's Sporting already find themselves ten points adrift of leaders Braga in the Portuguese league but have so far managed two wins from two in the Europa League.
Group E
CSKA Sofia - Basel
Fulham - Roma
CSKA have only conceded one goal are boast a near perfect domestic record this season but go into this tie bottom of Group E with just one point. They are unbeaten in nine home games in Europe going into this fixture.The visitors have won seven out of their last eight in all competitions, with the defeat at Craven Cottage earlier this month the only blot on their copy book. Their win over Roma on the first day of the Europa League gives them genuine hope of progressing.
Since beating Basel earlier this month, Fulham have started to improve their domestic fortunes, with a draw and a win in their last two games. Manager Roy Hodgson has had three spells in Italian football and faced his opposite number on six occasions, when Claudio Ranieri was at Fiorentina, but never won. Roma have won just once in 13 attempts in England and have endured a difficult start to the season with a change at the helm. Like his counterpart, Roma boss Ranieri is no stranger to English football, managing Fulham's neighbours, Chelsea, for four years. During that period, he never lost to the Cottagers.
Group F
Panathinaikos - Sturm Graz
Galatasaray - Dinamo Bucharest
Henk ten Cate's side have already lost at home to Galatasaray and can't afford to drop any more points on their own soil if they are to progress beyond the group stages. They needed a last minute goal from Djibril Cisse at the weekend to earn a draw that leaves them level with Olympiacos at the top of their domestic league. Sturm Graz have only lost once away from home so far this season and go into the game on the back of a victory over Rapid Vienna at the weekend.
Frank Rijkaard's men will have one eye on the weekend showdown with Turkish league leaders Fenerbahce as a win in that fixture will see them climb into first spot. However, they will still fancy their chances were. Dinamo managed an impressive away win at Sturm Graz but followed that up with defeat at home to Panathinaikos. Caretaker coach Ion Marin knows his side will face a difficult task against a team who have never lost to Romanian opposition at home.
Paul Madden, Goal.com
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