Athletic look to upstage group leaders

Despite having a history in UEFA club competitions dating back to 1956, Athletic Club Bilbao will be meeting Romanian opposition in UEFA club competitions for the first time when they host FC Steaua Bucuresti.

Successful season
In that time, the UEFA Cup has provided Bilbao with their most successful season in UEFA club competitions when the Spaniards reached the final of the UEFA Cup in 1976/77 only to lose on an away goal to Juventus FC.

Highly competitive
Group B is proving a highly competitive section, with each club having secured a win, while no one remains unbeaten. Steaua, the leaders, will be playing their 14th game against Spanish opposition, and one game stands out in the club’s proud history. In 1985/86 Steaua won the Europea Champion Clubs' Cup with a win over Spanish giants FC Barcelona in the final at Seville. The Romanians held Barcelona to a 0-0 draw after extra time, and won the penalty shoot-out 2-0, even denying Terry Venables’ team a goal in the entire duration of the match.

Spanish success
However, Spanish clubs do have a marginal success against Steaua in UEFA club competitions. Of the previous 13 games, Steaua have won five, drawn two and lost six and have scored 13 goals to 26 conceded. Of those five wins, just one has come in Spain, and that was also against Barcelona, whom Steaua defeated 2-1 in the second round of the 1971/72 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. Two matches have ended in draws (including the 1985/86 final) and Steaua have lost four times, with the heaviest defeat again involving Barcelona, who won 5-1 in a 1977/78 UEFA Cup first round match.

Valencia win
The last time the Romanians faced Spanish opposition came in the 1998/99 UEFA Cup first round versus Valencia CF. Steaua lost a seven-goal thriller at home fighting back from 2-0 down, following two goals from Valencia's Romanian striker Adrian Ilie, to draw level at 2-2, thanks to goals from Erik Lincar and Laurentiu Rosu. Miguel Angulo gave Valencia the lead five minutes from time and though Ilie Dumitrescu levelled in the last minute there was still time for Angulo to fashion a winner for the visitors. The return leg at the Mestalla stadium was not as closely contested with Valencia emerging as 3-0 victors with second half goals from Alain Roche, Claudio López and Cristiano Lucarelli.