Basel wary of Rennes renaissance

Having earned only their second European away win at the 13th attempt in the first round, Stade Rennais FC will look to continue their winning run at FC Basel 1893 in Group D.

• The two sides have never met in European competition.

• Basel have played eight games against French sides in UEFA club competition, winning two, drawing four and losing two. Of the five home games against Ligue 1 opponents, Christian Gross's side have won two, drawn two and lost one.

• Basel have met French opponents at home in their two previous group stage campaigns, drawing one game and losing the other.

• Rennes have played only one game against Swiss opposition in Europe, losing 2-1 at home against FC Luzern in the group stage of the 1996 UEFA Intertoto Cup.

• Two sets of former team-mates could come face to face in the match. Basel's Brazilian forward Eduardo played alongside Rennes' Daniel Moreira at Toulouse FC in 2004/05, while the same season saw Rennes' Bruno Cheyrou and Basel's Koji Nakata playing together at Olympique de Marseille.

• In addition to the eight games he has taken charge of against French sides with Basel, Gross also led Grasshopper-Club in two UEFA Champions League group stage games against AJ Auxerre in 1996/97, losing 1-0 away but winning 3-1 at home.

• Basel are unbeaten in their last eleven UEFA Cup home games, but the last side to outscore them at St-Jakob Park was a French side – RC Strasbourg – who won 2-0 against the Swiss side in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup group stage.

• Rennes' 3-1 win at PFC Lokomotiv Sofia in this season's UEFA Cup first round gave them their first away victory in European competition since winning 2-0 at Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC in the 1996 UEFA Intertoto Cup.

• Basel reserve goalkeeper Louis Crayton celebrates his 30th birthday on 26 October, the day after the game.

• SK Brann are at home against Hamburger SV in the day's other Group D game.