Atlético ready for Cypriot new boys

Club Atlético de Madrid had to wait 12 seasons before making their return to the UEFA Champions League last year. Back for another tilt at European glory, they will want to lay down an early marker of the strength of their challenge when they play host to competition debutants APOEL FC.

Previous meetings
• While Atlético have never before faced a team from Cyprus, APOEL have played six games against Spanish opposition, drawing two and losing four. Their worst defeat was an 8-0 reverse at RC Deportivo La Coruña in the 1995/96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup first round second leg.

Match background
• Last season Atlético reached the first knockout round where they lost to FC Porto – Group D rivals this time around – on away goals after being held 2-2 at the Vicente Calderón and drawing 0-0 away.

• Atlético, fourth in the Spanish Liga last season, eased into the group stage with away (3-2) and home (2-0) wins against Panathinaikos FC in the play-off round.

• At the same stage APOEL recovered from losing 1-0 at FC København, running out 3-1 victors in the home leg to ensure a Cypriot presence in the group stage for a second successive season. They had earlier ousted FK Partizan (2-0 home, 0-1 away) and EB/Streymur (2-0 away, 3-0 home).

• Last season Atlético overwhelmed PSV Eindhoven on Matchday 1, running out 3-0 winners in the Netherlands with Sergio Agüero scoring twice in the first half and Maniche adding a third early in the second. At home they were unbeaten in their four games, winning two and drawing one in Group D before the draw with Porto.

Team ties
• Atlético's Tomáš Ujfaluši played for the Czech Republic against Cyprus in a 4-3 friendly win on 13 February 2002 at Nicosia's GSP Stadium. He was also involved in a 1-0 victory for the Czechs against Cyprus in Liberec in a UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier on 28 March 2007.

• Simão came on as an 80th-minute substitute in Portugal's 3-1 win against Cyprus in a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier on 5 October 2001 at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca.

• Diego Forlán played at APOEL's GSP Stadium for Manchester United FC during the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League when the ground was being used by Israeli side Maccabi Haifa FC. Forlán's team lost 3-0.

• Five members of the APOEL squad have previously played in Spain: Adrian Sikora (Real Murcia CF 2008/09), Kamil Kosowski (Cádiz CF 2008/09), Hélio Pinto (Sevilla FC B 2004/05) and Nenad Mirosavljević (Cádiz CF, 2004 to 2006).