Leverkusen lie in wait for Lens

Bayer 04 Leverkusen must go all out for victory against RC Lens as they look to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit in the second leg of their UEFA Cup Round of 16 tie in Germany.

• Having conceded an early goal to Olivier Monterrubio, Leverkusen equalised through defender Karim Haggui early in the second half. However, the Tunisian defender then conceded a penalty, receiving a second yellow card in the process, and Daniel Cousin restored Lens's advantage from the spot. Although now suspended, Haggui's away goal could yet prove crucial in Leverkusen.

• Prior to the first leg, the two sides had never met in European competition.

• Lens reached the knockout stage as the third-placed side in Group D, before taking a significant step towards a place in the last 16 with a 3-1 first-leg win at home against Panathinaikos FC in the Round of 32. A 0-0 draw in Athens saw Francis Gillot's men seal their passage.

• A goalless draw also marked Leverkusen's progress to the last 16, shutting out Blackburn Rovers FC in England following a 3-2 first-leg success against the Premiership side. Michael Skibbe's side had previously pipped Beşiktaş JK to third place in Group B with a 2-1 victory over the Turkish side in their final fixture of the group stage.

• Lens's top scorers in this season's competition, Issam Jemaa and Cousin, have scored four goals each, as has Leverkusen's most prolific UEFA Cup goalscorer, Bernd Schneider.

• Lens have faced German teams four times in knockout ties - winning two and losing two - with one previous meeting against Bundesliga opposition in the UEFA Cup. Following last week's first-leg victory, their record in 12 games against German teams reads won five, drawn four and lost three.

• They earned their only win on German soil to date with a 4-1 triumph against 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the second leg of a 1999/00 UEFA Cup third-round tie, having lost the home leg 2-1.

• UEFA Cup winners in 1988, Leverkusen have met French sides in two previous knockout ties, winning both. Following last week's defeat in Lens, they have won three, drawn three and lost three of their nine games against teams from France.

• The winners of the tie will enter the draw for the final rounds of the competition in Glasgow on Friday 16 March. No teams will be seeded in the draw and, for the first time in this season's competition, teams from the same national association may be drawn against each other.