Parma's proud record

Alhough this is the first meeting between the clubs in UEFA competition, Parma FC, Italy's sole remaining representative, bring an unbeaten home record against German sides into this tie. VfB Stuttgart, meanwhile, still await their first win on Italian soil.

Parma reached their third successive European final in 1994/95, defeating Juventus FC in the the UEFA Cup. They met German opposition for the first time in the last four, Faustino Asprilla scoring in both legs against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The Colombian's goal in Germany, added to an earlier effort from Dino Baggio, gave Parma a 2-1 first-leg success, which was built upon with a 3-0 home win in the return. Asprilla struck after three and 55 minutes, with Gianfranco Zola capping a comfortable triumph after 67 minutes.

Parma's next two meetings with German clubs resulted in home wins and away defeats. In the 1997/98 UEFA Champions League, Parma beat BV Borussia Dortmund in Italy thanks to Hernán Crespo's goal, but fell to two Andreas Möller efforts at the Westfalenstadion. Two years later, in the fourth round of the 1999/00 UEFA Cup against Werder Bremen, Crespo again decided the first leg before Parma were eliminated 3-2 on aggregate despite Mario Stanic's away goal.

The Gialloblù maintained their unbeaten home record against Bundesliga sides in the third round of the 2000/01 UEFA Cup, drawing 2-2 with TSV 1860 München. Parma relinquished a two-goal lead after Stephen Appiah and Johan Micoud scored inside eleven minutes, but there was to be no repeat scenario in Bavaria, as Marcio Amoroso and Sergio Conceição were on target to guarantee a fifth win in eight games against German opposition.

Although Stuttgart have never won in Italy, they did defeat Torino Calcio on away goals in the 1979/80 UEFA Cup first round. Walter Kelsch's 70th-minute goal gave them a lead to defend in Italy, where Torino won 1-0 to force extra time. Stuttgart then went 2-0 down before Bernd Klotz won the tie in the final minute.

Stuttgart also found themselves up against a Serie A side, SSC Napoli, in the 1988/89 UEFA Cup final. They got off to a fine start when Mauricio Gaudino opened the scoring in Italy after 17 minutes, only to go down 2-1. A thrilling second leg ended 3-3, and the trophy headed to southern Europe. Napoli had previously beaten Stuttgart 1-0 on aggregate in the second round of the 1969/70 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

Stuttgart's most recent meeting with an Italian club was in the third round of the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup, defeating AC Perugia 4-3 over two legs to pave the way for progress to the UEFA Cup. The 2-1 second-leg defeat, however, means the Swabians have lost on each of their four visits to Italy.