Sporting ready for game No200

Sporting Clube de Portugal will reach another European milestone as they host FC Basel 1893 with an eye on a place in the Round of 16.

• This game will be Sporting's 200th in UEFA club competition. The 1963/64 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup winners started their European adventures with a 3-3 draw at home against Yugoslavian side JSD Partizan – now Serbia's FK Partizan – in the 1955/56 European Champion Clubs' Cup on 4 September 1955.

• Should Sporting triumph, it would be their 50th victory in 102 UEFA Cup games.

• Sporting coach Paulo Bento will be coming up against Swiss opposition for the first time since making his European debut as a player in CF Estrela da Amadora's 1990/91 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup tie against Neuchâtel Xamax FC.

• Both legs of that tie ended in 1-1 draws, and with extra time producing no further goals in Switzerland, a penalty shoot-out decided the game. Defensive midfielder Paulo Bento took his side's fourth spot kick and it proved to be the winner as two Xamax players missed either side of him to give Estrela a 4-3 shoot-out success.

• Sporting qualified for the Round of 32 after finishing third in UEFA Champions League Group F. Basel finished second in UEFA Cup Group D.

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

• Sporting have played six games against Swiss sides, winning two, drawing two and losing two. On Portuguese soil, they have won one, drawn one and lost one.

• Basel have never played a game against Portuguese opposition before.

• The Swiss team are unbeaten in four UEFA Cup away games this season, drawing two and winning two.

• Sporting's Brazilian defender Anderson Polga celebrated his 29th birthday on 9 February.

• Basel defender Reto Zanni also had a birthday on 9 February, turning 28, while team-mate David Degen is 25 on 15 February.

• Basel will host the second leg in Switzerland on 21 February. The victors will meet the winners of the tie between Bolton Wanderers FC and Club Atlético de Madrid in the Round of 16 on 6 and 12/13 March, playing the second leg at home.

• Winter UEFA Cup registrations
Sporting: In - Leandro Grimi, Rodrigo Tiuí, Vítor Golas.
Out – Carlos Paredes.
Basel: In – Marko Perović, Beg Ferati.
Out – none.