Fenerbahçe keen to end Spanish curse

Fenerbahçe SK have lost all seven previous matches against Spanish opposition – something they are keen to put right when they take on Sevilla FC in the UEFA Champions League first knockout round.

First meeting
Neither of these teams have been involved in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase before, and along with FC Schalke 04, are the only sides in Friday's draw to share this distinction. Fenerbahçe made it through the group stage at the fifth time of asking, while Sevilla are making their competition debut and will take their first trip to Turkey on 20 February before staging the 4 March return.

Optimism
Three home victories were the key to Fenerbahçe's progress from Group G, but Sevilla's domestic rivals Real Betis Balompié, FC Barcelona and Real Zaragoza have all prevailed on visits to Istanbul. That trio also won the return matches and Zico's team lost 1-0 at RC Celta de Vigo in last season's UEFA Cup group stage. Still, club vice-president Şekip Mosturoğlu is confident. "Before coming to the draw, I wanted our team to be paired with Sevilla," he said. "Sevilla are very powerful in attack and score a lot of goals but their defence is not of the same quality. Therefore they are easier to score against than the other teams."

Brazilian strength
Sevilla coach Manuel Jiménez, whose charges finished above Arsenal FC in the group stage, is wary as the Andalusians seek to emulate their only previous result against Turkish opposition – a 3-0 home success over Beşiktaş JK in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup group stage, on the way to the first of two overall triumphs in that competition. "People seem to think we ought to go through but it's not like that," Jiménez said. "Any team can knock you out. Fenerbahçe are experienced and have lots of Brazilian players, as well as a good budget to strengthen the team. The important thing is playing the return leg at home, because Turkish sides are tough to beat at their place but more beatable on their travels."