Fiorentina confront Spanish demons

ACF Fiorentina will look to improve an unedifying record against Primera División opposition as they seek a first win on Spanish soil against Villarreal CF in Group C.

• The two sides have never met in European competition.

• Villarreal have played nine games against Italian opposition, winning four, drawing two and losing three. All four of those victories have come in home games and with three 2-0s and a 1-0, they have yet to concede a goal at home against a Serie A side.

• Fiorentina have played eleven games against Spanish sides, winning two, drawing three and losing six. Three of those games have been major European finals. They lost 2-0 to Real Madrid CF in the 1956/57 European Champion Clubs' Cup and then met Club Atlético de Madrid in the 1961/62 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, drawing 1-1 and then losing 3-0 on a replay.

• Fiorentina's record in Spain is not impressive. Of their five fixtures in Villarreal's home nation they have drawn one and lost four.

• Fiorentina have not won an away game in Europe since beating Arsenal FC in the first group stage of the 1999/00 UEFA Champions League. Their last UEFA Cup away win was a 2-0 against Grasshopper-Club in the second round of the 1998/99 competition.

• Villarreal's French midfielder Robert Pires and Fiorentina's young striker Arturo Lupoli were team-mates at Arsenal FC in the 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons. However, Lupoli made no league appearances during the the first of these campaigns when Arsenal finished second in the Premier League.

• Villarreal's Italian striker Giuseppe Rossi has recent Serie A experience having spent much of last season on loan at Parma FC. Danish striker Jon Dahl Tomasson also saw plenty of action in Italy in three seasons at AC Milan between 2002 and 2004.

• Fiorentina defender Alessandro Potenza has experience of Spanish football after spending the 2005/06 season on loan at RCD Mallorca. Veteran striker Christian Vieri also played in the Primera División with Club Atlético de Madrid in the 1997/98 season, scoring 24 goals in 24 league games.

• Fiorentina's Belgian defender Anthony Vanden Borre celebrates his 20th birthday on 24 October, the day before the Villarreal game.

• IF Elfsborg are at home against AEK Athens FC in the day's other Group C game.