Standard eager to make their point

Another point will take R. Standard de Liège to the last 32 of the UEFA Cup but László Bölöni will be eager to go one better and earn a first victory against an Italian side in his prestigious coaching career as UC Sampdoria come to Belgium.

• Standard top Group C with six points after winning 1-0 at FK Partizan on Matchday 3. They now need only one point from their remaining two fixtures against Sampdoria and VfB Stuttgart to be sure of a place in the last 32. Only once has a side failed to reach the UEFA Cup Round of 32 after taking six points from the group stage, with Rangers FC missing out in 2004/05.

• Victory in Liège would send Sampdoria, who sit on four points following their first two UEFA Cup group-stage games, into the last 32 too.

• This is Standard and Sampdoria's first meeting in UEFA club competition.

• Standard have played 12 games against Italian sides in European competition, with their record reading W4 D5 L3.

• Standard have never been beaten by visitors from Italy at the Marcel Dufrasne Stadium, winning three and drawing three of their previous six home games against Serie A sides.

• Sampdoria have played seven games against Belgian sides, most memorably beating RSC Anderlecht 2-0 in the 1989/90 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in Gothenburg.

• In total, their record against Belgian sides reads W5 D0 L2. They have gained one win in their three visits to Belgium, losing the remaining two games.

• Standard coach Bölöni has never come up against Sampdoria before. In six previous games against Italian sides as a coach he has earned two draws and four defeats.

• Bölöni's Sporting Clube de Portugal secured home draws against both of the big Milan sides but lost away games, while Romania lost in both of their 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Italy while Bölöni was in charge.

• The former midfielder also faced Italy as a player, with his Romania side drawing 0-0 against the Azzurri in a 1984 UEFA European Championship qualifier, and scoring the only goal as his side won 1-0 at home in the return match.

• This is Sampdoria coach Walter Mazzarri's first game against a Belgian side, but he has reason for optimism. The Genoa team have not lost a European away game under him yet, earning four wins and a draw on their travels over the past two seasons.

• Several Standard players have experience of Italian football. Marco Ingrao spent time on loan at Vicenza FC in 2005/06, while forward Wilfried Dalmat was loaned to US Lecce in 2003/04. Sampdoria's Daniele Franceschini was on loan to the same club in the same season.

• Standard's Senegalese defender Mohamed Sarr started his career at AC Milan and spent time on loan with Ancona Calcio, Atalanta BC and FC Vittoria before joining Standard in 2005. He and Sampdoria midfielder Paolo Sammarco were on Milan's books at the same time.

• Standard defender Marcos Camozzato has roots in Italy and holds both Italian and Brazilian passports.

• Standard are unbeaten in their last five European home games.

• Standard's Dante Bonfim is within a booking of a one-match suspension.

• Sevilla FC play Partizan in Wednesday's other Group C game. Stuttgart are the only side in the section not in action on Matchday 4.

• The draw for the UEFA Cup Round of 32 and Round of 16 will be held at UEFA Headquarters in Nyon on Friday 19 December at 13.00CET. Group winners will be paired with third-placed sides from other UEFA Cup sections, while second-placed finishers will be drawn against one of the eight clubs who finished third in the UEFA Champions League groups. The UEFA Cup group winners and runners-up will play the second leg at home. Teams from the same association cannot be drawn against each other.