Levski face Lazio backlash

S.S. Lazio are already out of the competition but will have a last chance to vent their UEFA Europa League Group G frustrations as bottom side PFC Levski Sofia visit Rome on Matchday 6.

• An inferior head-to-head record means Lazio cannot catch second-placed Villarreal CF, while Levski have long since been resigned to finishing bottom of the section.

Previous meetings
• Lazio meted out Levski's worst ever European home defeat as they triumphed 4-0 in Sofia on Matchday 2. Lazio won the only previous game they have hosted against a Bulgarian side, beating PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 1936 2-0 in September 1993. Levski lost their first three encounters in Italy but have drawn all three since.

Match background
• Levski competed in one UEFA Cup group stage, reaching the quarter-finals in 2005/06. Lazio's only UEFA Cup group-stage campaign was in 2004/05, when they fell short of a place in the round of 32.

• Lazio's last four UEFA club competition group-stage home games have all ended with the same scoreline, 2-1, with the Rome club winning twice and losing twice.

• Levski have lost their last seven matches in Europe and have also lost their last 12 fixtures in the group stages of UEFA club competitions. They have never won an away tie in any group stage and have not scored in four matches on their travels since sweeping aside UE Sant Julià 5-0 in this season's UEFA Champions League second qualifying round.

Team facts
• Formerly a player at AC Cesena, Davide Ballardini took over as Lazio coach during the summer following the departure of Delio Rossi. He had previously been in charge at Cagliari Calcio before earning a number of fine results as boss of US Città di Palermo last season.

• Serbian coach Ratko Dostanić resigned in the wake of Levski's 1-0 defeat at home by PFC Beroe Stara Zagora on 18 October, a result which 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 Lokomotiv Plovdiv, the 33-times capped international also played for Stade Rennais FC, Samsunspor, Gaziantepspor and HNK Rijeka.

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

• Lazio received more yellow cards than any other side in the first five matchdays, collecting 22 in total.

• FK Partizan and Levski are the only sides who have yet to pick up a point in the UEFA Europa League group stage, losing all five of their games to date. Levski are also the only club yet to score in the competition.

• Levski are two goals shy of their 250th in UEFA club competition, while the next one they concede will also be the 250th they have let in. This is their 176th European fixture.