Unlucky seven haunts Bordeaux

FC Girondins de Bordeaux are looking to end a seven-game losing streak against Spanish opposition as they take on CA Osasuna in the UEFA Cup Round of 32.

• The two sides have never met in European competition, but did play friendly fixtures in 2001 and 2002. Bordeaux won the first 2-1 with the latter finishing 2-2.

• Bordeaux qualified for the Round of 32 as the third-placed side in UEFA Champions League Group C. Osasuna finished second in UEFA Cup Group D.

• Bordeaux have played in four knockout ties against Spanish opposition (winning two and losing two) as well as losing twice against Valencia CF in the 1999/00 UEFA Champions League second group stage. In total, their record in ten games against Spanish sides reads won two, drawn one and lost seven.

• Bordeaux are on a seven-game losing streak in competititve fixtures against Spanish sides, having not won a game since defeating Real Betis Balompié 2-0 in the first leg of a 1995/96 UEFA Cup third-round tie.

• Bordeaux coach Ricardo Gomes came up against Spanish opposition during his time as Paris Saint-Germain FC coach, with his side losing 1-0 against FC Barcelona in the 1996/97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final. His fellow Brazilian Ronaldo scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot after 37 minutes.

• Osasuna start the tie having played exactly 20 games in European competition, 18 of them in the UEFA Cup. Three of those have been against French opponents. They lost 3-1 at Stade Rennais FC in the first round first leg of the 2005/06 UEFA Cup, drawing 0-0 in the return leg to bow out on aggregate. They also lost 3-1 at RC Lens in this season's UEFA Cup group stage.

• Thus, they will be looking to avoid a third successive 3-1 defeat on French soil against Bordeaux.

• Two sets of former team-mates could meet up in the tie. Bordeaux's Vladimír Šmicer and Osasuna's Ludovic Delporte played together at Lens during the 1998/99 season, winning the French League Cup. Bordeaux’s Johan Micoud and Osasuna's Savo Milošević spent two seasons together at Parma FC between 2000 and 2002, when they lifted the Coppa Italia.

• Bordeaux traditionally have strong connections with Spain, with Spanish and Basque refugees from the Spanish Civil War like Jaime Mancisidor and Santi Urtizberea starring for the club in the 1930s. Bordeaux's first professional coach, Benito Díaz, was a Spaniard.

• The second leg of the tie will be played on 22 February. The aggregate winners will face Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC or Rangers FC in the Round of 16, playing the away leg on 8 March and the home leg a week later.