Nacional wary of wounded Athletic

A 3-1 loss at Werder Bremen on Matchday 2 was a setback for Athletic Club Bilbao, but they will look to get back on track in UEFA Europa League Group L against a CD Nacional side yet to win a European game away from home.

Previous meetings
• This is the clubs' first meeting. Athletic have won both of their home games against Portuguese clubs, beating FC Porto (3-2, 26 September 1956) and Sporting Clube de Portugal (2-1, 27 November 1985). Nacional's only previous game in Spain (and their debut in UEFA club competition) ended in a 2-0 loss at Sevilla FC (16 September 2005).

• Athletic's Aitor Ocio was an unused substitute in the second leg of that tie as Sevilla beat Nacional 2-1 in Funchal.

Match background
• Athletic – on a run of two straight home wins – lost only their third home game in UEFA club competition (out of the 46 fixtures they have played in Bilbao) earlier this season, going down 1-0 to BSC Young Boys in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round.

• Nacional have drawn their last two European away games 1-1 but are still looking for their first win on their travels in continental competition.

Team facts
• A coach since his mid-20s, Athletic boss Joaquín Caparrós has been at the San Mamés helm since 2007, having worked his way up through the lower leagues to take charge of the likes of Villarreal CF, Sevilla – whom he led in the 2004/05 UEFA Cup group stage – and RC Deportivo La Coruña.

• Athletic are famous for their policy of only signing players who have come through their youth ranks, the academies of other Basque clubs or those who have been born in the Basque country.

• Manuel Machado is in his second stint at the Nacional helm. He started his coaching career in his native Guimaraes as a youth trainer at Vitória SC, eventually leading the senior team there as well as having spells at A. Académica de Coimbra and SC Braga.

• From the Atlantic island of Madeira, Nacional's most significant recent claim to fame has been that Funchal-born Cristiano Ronaldo spent two years with the club before joining Sporting's Alcochete academy at the age of 12 in 1997.

• Nacional have played just eight games in UEFA club competition and are the least experienced side in the UEFA Europa League group stage.

• Athletic's Fernando Llorente is one of three players to have registered three times since the start of the group stage, along with Sporting's Liedson and LOSC Lille Métropole's Gervinho.

• Athletic's Iker Muniain became the youngest scorer in Spanish league history when he registered in his side's 2-2 draw against Real Valladolid CF on 4 October at the age of 16 years and 289 days.

• The two sides meet again in Madeira on Matchday 4, 5 November.