Proud records on the line in Piraeus

Olympiacos CFP's impressive European home record in recent years will be given a stern test by UEFA Cup Round of 32 opponents AS Saint-Etienne. Les Verts have not lost in UEFA club competition for more than 25 years.

• This will be the two sides' first meeting in European competition.

• Olympiacos are daunting opponents at their Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium. They have won their last four European home games and have gone nine continental matches unbeaten in Greece since a 1-0 defeat against AS Roma in the group stage of the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League.

• They have conceded just once in their last seven European games on home soil.

• St Etienne, for their part, are unbeaten in ten European games – a run comprising five wins and five draws. Their last defeat in continental competition dates back to a 4-0 UEFA Cup reverse at Bohemians Praha on 3 November 1982.

• The French club have won three and drawn two of their five European away games since that 1982 defeat in Prague.

• Olympiacos's record in 18 games against French sides reads W7 D3 L8. The Piraeus outfit's record against French clubs at home is W5 D2 L2, with the most recent of these matches a 4-1 UEFA Champions League group-stage defeat by Olympique Lyonnais in November 2005.

• St Etienne have played just one previous European tie against Greek opponents. In the third round of the 1979/80 UEFA Cup, Les Verts defeated Aris Thessaloniki FC 4-1 at home – current UEFA President Michel Platini scoring the opening goal – followed by a 3-3 draw in the return.

• This will be Olympiacos's Spanish coach Ernesto Valverde's first game against a French side, while his St Etienne equivalent Alain Perrin is also due his first taste of Greek opposition.

• Olympiacos can count on the experience of well-travelled French defender Didier Domi, who started his career at Paris Saint-Germain FC before spells at Newcastle United FC, Leeds United AFC and RCD Espanyol.

• The Greek club's Brazilian midfielder Dudu also played in France with Stade Rennais FC during the 2004/05 campaign.

• St Etienne boast Greek talent in the form of central defender Efstathios Tavlaridis, who left Iraklis FC for Arsenal FC in 2001. He subsequently went on to play for Portsmouth FC and LOSC Lille Métropole before joining St Etienne in 2007.

• The Olympiacos tie will be Tavlaridis's second against opponents from his homeland. The twice-capped Greek international was part of the Lille squad that won 3-1 at home and lost 1-0 away against AEK Athens FC in the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League.

• Tavlaridis and Olympiacos midfielder Ieroklis Stoltidis were team-mates at Iraklis prior to the former's move to the English capital.

• Diogo Luis Santo has been Olympiacos's leading UEFA Cup scorer this season with five goals so far. Luciano Galletti, Vassilis Torosidis and Darko Kovačević have all hit two apiece.

• Brazilian Ilan is St Etienne's top European goalscorer this season with three strikes, while Bafétimbi Gomis and Dimitri Payet have both chipped in with two goals.

• Reigning Greek champions Olympiacos finished third in Group B to reach the Round of 32, while St Etienne – fifth in Ligue 1 last season – topped Group G.

• Olympiacos have Didier Domi, Luciano Galletti and Anastasios Pantos within a booking of a suspension. St-Etienne have no similar problems.

• January squad changes:-
Olympiacos
Players added to squad list:Matt Derbyshire.
Players removed from squad list:Darko Kovačević.
St-Etienne
Players added to squad list:none.
Players removed from squad list: none.

• The winners of this tie will face Werder Bremen or AC Milan in the Round of 16 on 12 and 18/19 March, playing the second leg at home.