Livorno to test Valverde's mettle

AS Livorno Calcio should be wary of RCD Espanyol coach Ernesto Valverde's record against Italian opposition as the two sides meet in the UEFA Cup Round of 32.

• Livorno qualified for the Round of 32 as the third-placed side in UEFA Cup Group A. Espanyol finished top of Group F, winning all four of their games.

• The two sides have never met in European competition.

• Livorno have never met Spanish opposition in European competition. However, defender Samuel Kuffour will have fond memories of playing against Spanish sides, winning the 2000/01 UEFA Champions League final with FC Bayern München against Valencia CF.

• Espanyol have been drawn against Italian sides on three previous occasions, beating both AC Milan and FC Internazionale Milano in two-legged UEFA Cup ties in 1987/88 and then drawing 1-1 against US Città di Palermo in last season's group stage.

• Espanyol are yet to lose a game against Italian opposition, having won two and drawn three of their five games against Serie A sides.

• Espanyol coach Valverde faced Italian opposition in the 2004/05 UEFA Cup group stage, with his Athletic Club Bilbao side beating Parma FC.

• In his days as an Espanyol player, Valverde played his part in two notable victories against Italian opposition en route to a penalty shoot-out defeat in the 1987/88 UEFA Cup final against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Espanyol beat AC Milan on away goals in the second round, while Valverde scored the decider as the Barcelona based side overcame Inter 2-1 on aggregate in the third round.

• Livorno's Ivorian forward Ibrahima Bakayoko will face team-mates from two different stages of his career against Espanyol. Midfielder Ivan De La Peña was a team-mate of his at Olympique de Marseille in 1999/00, while he played alongside Moroccan midfielder Mohamed El Yaagoubi at CA Osasuna in 2003/04.

• The second leg will be played on 22 February. The aggregate winners will face PFC CSKA Moskva or Maccabi Haifa FC in the Round of 16, playing the away leg on 8 March and the home second leg a week later.