Juve hoping to spoil Hodgson return

Juventus have not been in the best form at home against English sides in recent years, but will hope their luck can change as Roy Hodgson returns to Italy in the UEFA Europa League round of 16, looking to lead Fulham FC to another new high.

Previous meetings
• This will be the first encounter between the two sides.

• Juventus boast plenty of experience of English opposition, with their record from 36 games reading W14 D8 L14 (W10 D4 L3 at home). They have not won in their last four home fixtures against Premier League sides, recording three draws and a defeat since beating Newcastle United FC 2-0 in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League group stage.

• Juventus have lost all four of their two-legged knockout ties against English clubs since they overcame Liverpool FC 1-0 in the 1985 European Champion Clubs' Cup final.

• Fulham have contested four matches against Italian clubs, putting together a record that reads W1 D2 L1 (W0 D1 L1 in Italy). Those fixtures comprise a 5-3 aggregate win against Bologna FC (one of Juve coach Alberto Zaccheroni's old clubs) in one of the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup finals and two games against AS Roma in this season's UEFA Europa League group stage – a 1-1 draw in London and a 2-1 defeat in Rome.

• All seven of Fulham's goals against Italian clubs have been scored by non-British players: four for Junichi Inamoto (Japan) and one each for Sylvain Legwinski (France), Brede Hangeland (Norway) and Diomansy Kamara (Senegal).

Match background
• Juventus have triumphed in just one of their last six European home games, seeing off Maccabi Haifa FC 1-0 in this season's UEFA Champions League group stage, though four of those fixtures ended in draws.

• Fulham have recorded two victories, two draws and two defeats in their six European away games this season. Encouragingly, they have only failed to score once in their 13 European away trips since making their continental debut in 2002.

• In reaching the last 16, Fulham have far eclipsed their previous best season in Europe, when they reached the 2002/03 UEFA Cup third round. Juve, meanwhile, are bidding to make it to their first European quarter-final since losing to Arsenal FC in the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League last eight.

Team facts 
• Fulham coach Roy Hodgson faced Juve six times while in Italy coaching FC Internazionale Milano from 1995 to 1997. His record from those four league games and two Coppa Italia ties reads W1 D2 L3 (W1 D0 L2 in Turin).

• Both coaches managed Udinese Calcio for a while: Zaccheroni between 1995 and 1998, and Hodgson from 2001 to 2002.

• Hodgson crossed swords with Juve coach Zaccheroni at both of his Italian clubs. His Inter side played Zaccheroni's Udinese four times, recording three wins and a draw, but Zaccheroni gained revenge of a sort when he was coach of S.S. Lazio, winning 4-1 at Hodgson's Udinese in a 2001/02 Serie A contest.

• Juve coach Zaccheroni has yet to win in five outings against English clubs, with his AC Milan and Inter sides recording three draws and two defeats – including a 5-1 home reverse for Inter against Arsenal in the most recent game, a 2003/04 UEFA Champions League group-stage fixture.

• Hodgson's record in six UEFA club competition games against Italian opponents – with Malmö FF and Fulham – reads W1 D3 L2. That sole victory came against his future employers Inter in the 1989/90 European Cup.

• Juventus boast more European experience than any other side in the round of 16, having disputed 340 matches in UEFA club competition; by contrast, only Russian champions FC Rubin Kazan have played fewer European games than Fulham (26).

• Fulham striker Bobby Zamora has committed 25 fouls since the start of the group stage – more than any other player left in the competition. FC København forward Dame N'Doye has the same total, but his side were eliminated in the round of 32.

• The tie concludes at Craven Cottage on 18 March. The draw for the quarter-finals will be staged the following day.