History beckons for Petrescu's Unirea

Coach Dan Petrescu has called on FC Unirea Urziceni to seize the moment as they look to become the first Romanian team to reach the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League. Victory over Sevilla FC, combined with VfB Stuttgart dropping points at Rangers FC in Tuesday's other Group G game, would see Unirea join their Spanish opponents in the last 16. With top spot still up for grabs, though, Sevilla – who beat Unirea 2-0 on Matchday 1 – still have unfinished business in the section. They have taken 13 victories in their last 16 games, losing just once, and coach Manuel Jiménez wants his side to maintain their momentum, even if a point is all they need to clinch top spot. "My team has been taught how to win, not draw," he said.

Dan Petrescu, Unirea coach
This might be the most important match of my career, if we win or draw. Sevilla are already qualified, they can relax, but don't forget Real Madrid and Barcelona are fighting with them for the Spanish title and that Luis Fabiano wants to become the Champions League's top scorer. If we win, it won't matter what we do in our last match in Stuttgart. It is an important match, not only for us, but also for our country and for football in our country, because we are in a position in which no Romanian team has been in in the new Champions League format: we are in a position to qualify, even if it depends on the result in the other match in the group.

Manuel Jiménez, Sevilla coach
Each match is important and it doesn't matter what happened yesterday, in the last round or in the past. All we want is to win. My team has been taught to win, not draw and I wouldn't know how to prepare them for a draw. Nobody gave Unirea a chance and now they are close to qualifying. They are very well-organised and we are taking this match very seriously. Of course, we have the potential to win the Spanish championship and the Champions League, but we want to take everything step by step and prepare well for each match in turn. I know generally speaking who will play but I will take my final decision after the official training session. Either way, we won't be carrying out any experiments: that was done before the season began.

Weekend results
21/11/09 FC Internaţional Curtea de Argeş 1-2 Unirea
(Voiculet 52; Bilasco 22, Onofras 40)

• Unirea lie fifth, three points behind leaders SC Vaslui, following their first league away win since 28 August. Their three previous trips yielded 0-0 draws.

• Valeriu Bordeanu was sent off with eleven minutes left, though the home side also ended with ten men.

21/11/09 CD Tenerife 1- 2 Sevilla FC
(Nino 75; Perotti 32, Renato 48)

• Sevilla remain third, and are only three points off top spot, after their seventh away win in eight games this term.

Team news
Unirea
Out: Raul Rusescu (knee), Bruno Fernandes (thigh)
Doubtful: none
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Vasile Maftei

Sevilla
Out: Tom De Mul (adductor), Federico Fazio (ankle), Lautaro Acosta (ankle), Arouna Koné (bruised rib), Aldo Duscher (torn right hamstring), Adriano (stomach), Julien Escudé (broken nose), Andrés Palop (calf)
Doubtful: none
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Fernando Navarro

• Sevilla travelled to Tenerife without nine first-team players, prompting centre-back Marc Valiente's promotion from the B team, while Javi Varas continued in goal after Andrés Palop suffered a recurrence of a calf injury in training.

Background
• Sevilla's 2-0 win over Unirea on Matchday 1 extended their perfect record against Romanian opponents to five games. In their four previous competitive fixtures, all against FC Steaua Bucureşti, the Spanish club ended on the winning side each time with both away ties – played at the Steaua Stadium, where Unirea are staging their home matches in this campaign – finishing 2-0 in their favour.

• The Matchday 1 game was the first time Unirea have faced a team from Spain in UEFA club competition.

Did you know?
After winning 4-1 in Glasgow and 3-1 in Stuttgart, Manuel Jiménez's Sevilla side are looking for their third successive away win in the group and their fifth in six UEFA Champions League group games on foreign soil.

For more information in the official match press kit, click here.