Fateful night for Sampdoria and Sevilla

UC Sampdoria can deny two-time winners Sevilla FC a return to the UEFA Cup Round of 32 on Matchday 5, with the result of the other Group C game between VfB Stuttgart and R. Standard de Liège potentially important for both teams.

• As things stand, Sevilla are second in the section following a 3-0 win against FK Partizan on Matchday 3, and while a win or a draw in Genoa would be enough for them to go through, they would miss out if a defeat against Sampdoria coincides with a Stuttgart win against Standard, who have already qualified.

• Sampdoria kick off the final round of games third in the section, but would be sure of progressing if they won. Should they win along with Stuttgart, Sevilla would become the first side since Rangers FC in 2004/05 to be eliminated from the UEFA Cup group stage with a total of six points.

• Final group placings are important in the Round of 32 draw. 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 sides who finished third in the UEFA Champions League groups. The UEFA Cup group winners and runners-up will play the second leg at home.

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

• Sampdoria have played four games against Spanish sides, including defeats against FC Barcelona in the finals of the 1988/89 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the 1991/92 European Champion Clubs' Cup.

• Sampdoria have lost all four of their previous games against Liga sides, including their only previous fixture against a Spanish side at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium, a 2-1 loss to Athletic Club Bilbao in the 1997/98 UEFA Cup.

• Sevilla's record in three games against Italian sides, including a 3-1 defeat by AC Milan in the 2007 UEFA Super Cup, is little better. They have never beaten a Serie A club, or scored against one. Their record reads W0 D1 L2, and they lost their only previous game in Italy 1-0 at Parma FC in the 2004/05 UEFA Cup Round of 16.

• Sampdoria have yet to lose a European home game under coach Walter Mazzarri. His five home games to date have left him with the record W2 D3 L0.

• Manuel Jiménez's away record as Sevilla coach in Europe reads W3 D0 L2.

• Sevilla boast Italian talent in the form of midfielder Enzo Maresca, who played for Juventus, Bologna FC, Piacenza FC and ACF Fiorentina before moving to Spain in 2005.

• Maresca and Sampdoria's Hugo Campagnaro were team-mates at Piacenza in 2002/03.

• Team-mate Abdoulay Konko also has extensive Serie A experience, having played for Juventus, US Crotone, AC Siena and, last season, Sampdoria's local rivals Genoa CFC, with whom they share the Luigi Ferraris Stadium.

• Konko played alongside Sampdoria's Antonio Mirante and Daniele Gastaldello at Crotone in 2004/05.

• Striker Antonio Cassano is the only Sampdoria player to have played Liga football, representing Real Madrid CF in the 2005/06 and 2006/07 seasons.

• Sampdoria are unbeaten in their last eleven UEFA competition home games, with their record in those matches reading W6 D5 L0.

• Sevilla lost 1-0 at Standard in their last UEFA Cup away game. Their seven away games since losing to Milan in the 2007 UEFA Super Cup have seen them earn a record of W4 D0 L3.

• Sampdoria's Stefano Lucchini is within a booking of a one-match ban.

• The draw for the UEFA Cup Round of 32 (when teams from the same association cannot be drawn against each other) and Round of 16 will be held at UEFA Headquarters in Nyon on Friday 19 December at 13.00 CET.