AEK eager to end Spanish hoodoo

AEK Athens FC will look to end a poor run against Spanish opposition as Michael Laudrup's Getafe CF visit in the UEFA Cup Round of 32.

• AEK have played 16 games against Spanish sides, winning two, drawing four and losing ten. At home they have won two, drawn two and lost four, although they are currently without a home win in their last six games against Spanish opposition.

• AEK have not won home or away against a Spanish side since beating Athletic Club Bilbao 1-0 at home in the first round of the 1988/89 UEFA Cup. Moreover, they have lost all five of their most recent games against Primera División sides.

• Getafe are meeting Greek opponents for the first time.

• AEK have won only one of their last five European home games.

• Getafe have won two of their three European away games to date.

• AEK qualified for the Round of 32 by finishing third in Group C. Getafe finished top of Group G.

• AEK dismissed Spanish coach Lorenzo Serra Ferrer on Tuesday following defeats against Panionios GSS and Larissa FC which saw them drop from first place to third in the Greek Super League. He had been in charge since the summer of 2006. Former AEK player Nikolaos Kostenoglou will lead AEK against Getafe, saying: "I respected, I respect, and I will always respect Lorenzo Serra Ferrer, but the important thing right now is to lift team morale ahead of a crucial match."

• Michael Laudrup returns to Greece for the first time as a coach having scored once in six games against Greek sides as a player. He was in the Denmark side that won 2-0 against Greece at AEK's OACA Spyro Louis Stadium in a 1984 UEFA European Championship qualifier, and subsequently played both legs in Juventus' second round tie with Panathinaikos FC in the 1987/88 UEFA Cup, which saw the Greek side progress on away goals.

• His only goal against a Greek side came as Denmark beat the national team 7-1 in Copenhagen in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in 1989, and he was also in the side that beat Greece 2-1 at home in another World Cup qualifier in 1996 before drawing 0-0 on his most recent trip to Athens on 11 October 1997.

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

• Getafe midfielder Mario celebrates his 33rd birthday on 16 February.

• AEK defender Rodolfo Arruabarrena and Getafe goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri were team-mates at Argentinian side CA Boca Juniors between 1997 and 2000.

• Getafe host the second leg in Madrid on 21 February. The aggregate winners will meet the victors of the tie between SL Benfica and 1. FC Nürnberg in the Round of 16 on 6 and 12/13 March, playing the first leg at home.

• Winter UEFA Cup registrations
Getafe: In - Jaime Gavilán, Manuel Tena.
Out – Francisco Sousa, Nacho.
AEK: In - Mohamed Kallon, Panagiotis Lagos.
Out – Christos Bourmpos, Elhadji Diouf.