CSKA out to fend off Fenerbahçe

Following their disappointing 2-1 defeat by PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, PFC CSKA Moskva will want to start their home campaign with a win while Fenerbahçe SK, home victors over FC Internazionale Milano on Matchday 1, have made a great start in Group G and will be looking for more of the same on their visit to Moscow.

• In their only home fixture against visitors from Turkey in European club competition, CSKA ran out winners by a 3-0 margin and they would relish a similar result when they launch their home campaign in the UEFA Champions League against Fenerbahçe at the Lokomotiv Stadium.

• That victory came in the 1971/72 European Champion Clubs' Cup first round after the Moscow club had drawn away to Galatasaray SK in the first leg. However that was as good as it got for the victors who bowed out of the second round with a 2-1 aggregate defeat to R. Standard de Liège.

• Valeriy Gazzaev's side, appearing in the UEFA Champions League for the second successive season and the fourth time in all, have always found it tough to prise out victories at this level whether home or away. Over three participations, in 1992/93, 2004/05 and last season, they have lost five and drawn one of the nine group home fixtures.

• Last season, 1-0 wins in Moscow against both Hamburger SV and Arsenal FC suggested they were about to qualify for the knockout rounds for the first time. They led the group going into Matchday 5 but a 2-0 home loss to FC Porto dealt a crushing blow to the Russian champions.

• It is the first time Fenerbahçe have tackled opponents from Russia in club competition and in this, their fifth UEFA Champions League campaign, they will be anxious to have more success away from home than previously.

• When they last took part, in the 2005/06 season, the Turkish champions lost all three away games, conceding seven goals. The only goal they managed came against AC Milan from the penalty spot.

• The previous season they conceded ten goals in their first two matches on opponents’ grounds, losing 6-2 to Manchester United FC and 4-2 to Olympique Lyonnais before returning from the Czech Republic with a 1-0 win over AC Sparta Praha.

• Fenerbahçe striker Mateja Kežman played against CSKA for Chelsea FC in both meetings in the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League group stage. He failed to score in the two matches, playing 63 minutes in the first leg at Stamford Bridge before getting 21 minutes as a substitute in Russia. He was booked in both games.

• Both teams boast a number of Brazilians in their squad - Ramón, Daniel Carvalho, Dudu, Vágner Love, Eduardo and Jô for CSKA, while Fenerbahçe boast Roberto Carlos, Edu, Alex, Gökçek Vederson (formely Wéderson) and Deivid along with the naturalised Turkish international Mehmet Aurélio.

• The Luzhniki Sadium in Moscow will stage the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League final on Wednesday 21 May.

• Roberto Carlos's first trip to the Russian capital was in Real Madrid CF's 2-1 loss to FC Spartak Moskva at the Lokomotiv Stadium in the UEFA Champions League group stage on 30 September 1998.