Les Verts look for inspiration from Danish trip

The last time AS Saint-Etienne played in Copenhagen they went on to reach the European Champion Clubs' Cup final, so they will be feeling positive as they visit FC København in their first UEFA Cup group stage game.

• This is København's first meeting with St-Etienne in UEFA club competition in their current guise, but Kjøbenhavns BK – who merged with B1903 Kobenhavn to form FC København in 1992 – once played Les Verts.

• The two sides met in the first round of the 1975/76 European Cup, with Robert Herbin's St-Etienne – in the midst of their golden age – winning 2-0 in Denmark and 3-1 at home. They went on to reach the final that year, losing 1-0 to FC Bayern München at Hampden Park, Glasgow.

• That was the only game either of København's parent clubs played against French sides, but they have played four games against Ligue 1 opponents since the merger.

• They were thrashed 7-0 on aggregate by AJ Auxerre in a 1992/93 UEFA Cup second round tie, but knocked RC Lens out of last season's competition in the first round, winning 2-1 at home and drawing 1-1 in France.

• Thus, since the merger their record against French sides reads won one, drawn one and lost two, while at home they have won one and lost one.

• St-Etienne's only previous experience of playing against a Danish side remains that tie against KB.

• København finished third in Denmark last season to earn a place in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Cup. Victories against Cliftonville FC of Northern Ireland, Lillestrøm SK from Norway and Russia's FC Moskva propelled them to the group stage.

• They competed in the group stage for the first time last season, but did not reach the knockout phase, finishing fourth in their five-team section.

• Ten-time French title-winners St-Etienne finished fifth in Ligue 1 in their first season under former striker Laurent Roussey to earn a place in the UEFA Cup for the first time since 1982/83. They then beat Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC 2-1 home and away to earn a first stab at the UEFA Cup group stage.

• Coach Roussey was a team-mate of UEFA President Michel Platini at St-Etienne in the late 1970s and early 1980s. A talented striker, he played alongside Mr Platini in the sides that reached the 1979/80 and 1980/81 UEFA Cup quarter-finals, though injury would hamper his career.

• Roussey has been St-Etienne coach since succeeding Ivan Hašek in June 2007, having previously been the Czech coach's assistant.

• København are coached by 58-times capped former Norway midfielder Ståle Solbakken, whose playing career ended abruptly in 2001 when he suffered a heart attack in training with the Copenhagen club. He was pronounced dead at the scene but was revived nearly 12 minutes later, and now has a pacemaker fitted.

• Rosenborg BK take on Club Brugge KV in Matchday 1's other Group G game. Valencia CF are the only side in the section not in action on 23 October.