Hamburg look to snuff out Zürich hope

Hamburger SV may feel they have one foot in the Round of 16 as they host FC Zürich having won 3-1 in the first leg of their UEFA Cup tie in Switzerland.

• David Jarolím, Ivica Olić and Piotr Trochowski all scored for Hamburg in the second half at the Letzigrund Stadium before Alain Rochat struck two minutes from time to give Swiss champions Zürich something to play for in the second leg.

• Trochowski's goal was Hamburg's 350th in European competition.

• The result confirms the general trend in European meetings between German and Swiss sides. In 69 games in UEFA Club competition, Bundesliga clubs have won 38, drawn 18 and lost 13.

• In 32 UEFA Cup games between teams from the neighbouring countries, the Swiss side has won five, drawn six and lost 21.

• Zürich have now played ten games against sides from Germany, winning two and losing eight. They met Bayer 04 Leverkusen in their last European game before the Hamburg tie, the final match of the group stage, losing 5-0 at home. They have lost all four of their previous matches in Germany.

• It was Zürich's heaviest home defeat in UEFA club competition.

• Hamburg have now played 14 games against Swiss opposition, winning seven, drawing five and losing two. In seven home games they have won four, drawn two and lost one.

• Experienced Hamburg coach Huub Stevens had never faced Swiss opposition as a player or a coach before this season's UEFA Cup. Now, though, he is preparing for a third game in a row against a Super League team after Hamburg's 1-1 draw with FC Basel 1893 in their last group stage game. Stevens has announced that he will step down as coach of the German side at the end of the season to take over at PSV Eindhoven.

• Hamburg met Swiss opposition at the same stage of the 2005/06 UEFA Cup, taking on FC Thun. They lost the first leg 1-0 in Switzerland, but two Daniel Van Buyten goals saw them make amends with a 2-0 win in the return.

• Hamburg are unbeaten in their last six European home games.

• Zürich qualified for the Round of 32 by finishing third in Group E. Hamburg finished top of Group D.

• The aggregate winners will meet the victors of the tie between Galatasaray AS and Leverkusen in the Round of 16 on 6 and 12/13 March, playing the second leg at home. Their first leg in Turkey finished goalless.

• There is thus the possibility of an all-German Round of 16 tie between Hamburg and Leverkusen.

• Winter UEFA Cup registrations
Zürich: In – Andrés Vásquez, Dušan Djurić, Emra Tahirović, Adrian Nicki.
Out – Rafael Araujo, Marc Schneider.
Hamburg: In – Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe.
Out – Kosi Saka.