Languishing Levski fighting for survival

PFC Levski Sofia are in desperate need of a victory on Matchday 4, with a 1-0 loss at FC Salzburg in their last game leaving the Blues mired at the foot of UEFA Europa League Group G without a point – or a goal – in three games.

Previous meetings
• The clubs met for the first time on 22 October, which was also Salzburg's first game against a Bulgarian side. Levski have hosted two other Austrian sides, beating both FK Austria Wien and SK Sturm Graz over 90 minutes, though the latter game – a 2002/03 UEFA Cup second round fixture – ended with the visitors winning the tie 8-7 on penalties.

Match background
• Levski have lost their last four UEFA club competition group-stage home games, failing to score in the most recent three and conceding an average of three goals a match.

Team facts
• This is Levski's second European game since the resignation of Serbian coach Ratko Dostanić in the wake of a 1-0 defeat at home by PFC Beroe Stara Zagora on 18 October that left the Bulgarian champions lying ninth in the 16-team Bulgarian top division. Sporting director Georgi Ivanov is now overseeing first-team affairs with Antoni Zdravkov working as coach.

• Known as 'Gonzo' by the club's fans, the 33-year-old Ivanov won five league titles in three spells as a player at Levski, and is yet to abandon hope of a comeback on the pitch, though he took over as sporting director in the summer. Schooled at his hometown club PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv, the 33-times capped international also played for Stade Rennais FC, Samsunspor, Gaziantepspor and HNK Rijeka.

• Salzburg are coached by former Netherlands defender Huub Stevens, who won the UEFA Cup as FC Schalke 04 coach in 1997. Salzburg are the third club in as many seasons for Stevens, who spent the last two campaigns in charge of Hamburger SV and then PSV Eindhoven.

• Stevens' Hamburg side eliminated Bulgarian opposition in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup first round, beating PFC Litex Lovech 1-0 away and 3-1 at home. He also won his 18th and final cap as a second-half substitute in the Netherlands' 1-0 friendly win against Bulgaria on 4 September 1985.

• Levski need two more goals to reach 250 in UEFA club competition, with this their 174th continental fixture.

• Levski take their name from Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski.

• Levski go into the game as one of three sides who have yet to score since the start of the group stage, along with Romanian clubs FC Timişoara and FC Steaua Bucureşti.

• Salzburg's Franz Schiemer was penalised for fouls on 14 occasions in the first three group-stage games – more than any other player in the competition.

• Salzburg host S.S. Lazio on Matchday 5, with Levski at home to Villarreal CF on the same day, 2 December.