Sparta look to break scoring duck

AC Sparta Praha will look to end a seven-game barren spell at home as Swiss champions FC Zürich make their first visit to the Czech Republic in Group E.

• The two sides have never met in UEFA club competition.

• Sparta have played six games against Swiss opposition in Europe, winning two, drawing two and losing two. At home, they have won two and drawn one. Thus, they are yet to be beaten at home by a Swiss side.

• Zürich are coming up against Czech opposition for the first time in their history.

• Zürich may never have played a competitive game in the Czech Republic, but their neighbours Grasshopper-Club have done so four times, winning two games and losing two. However Sparta and Grasshoppers have never met.

• Sparta forward Daniel Kolár celebrates his 22nd birthday on 27 October, two days after the Zürich game.

• Zürich coach Bernard Challandes led the Swiss national team in a 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-off against the Czech Republic. His side lost 2-1 at home but then won 2-1 away, with Switzerland eventually winning through 4-3 on penalties.

• Having reached the group stage with a 4-3 shootout win against Odense BK following two goalless games, Michal Bílek's Sparta have not scored a goal in European competition this season, bowing out 5-0 on aggregate against Arsenal FC in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.

• Remarkably, Sparta have now gone seven games without scoring a goal at home in European competition – their last came in a 1-1 2005/06 UEFA Champions League group stage draw against AFC Ajax.

• Their last home win in a European game came back in the third qualifying round of the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League, as they beat Ferencvárosi TC 2-0. They have not won at home in their subsequent eleven European ties.

• Zürich, meanwhile, are on a four-match losing streak on the road with their last European away triumph coming at Legia Warszawa in the second qualifying round of the 2005/06 UEFA Cup.

• Bayer 04 Leverkusen are at home against Toulouse FC in the day's other Group E game.