Juventus find mixed omens in Manchester

The omens are good for Juventus as they visit Manchester City FC in UEFA Europa League Group A – the last time they played the Blues away, they lost 1-0 but went on to lift the UEFA Cup in the same season.

Previous meetings
• The clubs met in the first round of the 1976/77 UEFA Cup, with Tony Book's City winning 1-0 at their old Maine Road stadium, but losing 2-0 in Turin. Giovanni Trapattoni's side beat Manchester United FC in the next round and went on to win the competition, overcoming Athletic Club on away goals in the final.

• The teams for their previous meeting in Manchester on 15 September 1976 were:
City: Corrigan, Docherty, Donachie, Doyle, Watson, Conway, Barnes (Power, 57), Kidd, Royle, Hartford, Tueart.
Juventus: Zoff, Cuccureddu, Gentile, Furino, Morini, Scirea, Causio, Tardelli, Bettega, Benetti, Marchetti.

Match background
• City's only other games against Italian opposition came in the 1977/78 UEFA Cup third round, where they eliminated AC Milan with a 2-2 draw in Italy and a 3-0 home win. Thus their record against Serie A sides reads W2 D1 L1 (W2 D0 L0 at home). They have yet to concede at home against an Italian side.

• Juventus have played 38 games against English sides with the record W15 D8 L15 (W2 D4 L12 away). They have not won in nine games in England – a draw and eight defeats – since beating United 1-0 in a UEFA Champions League group stage game in Manchester on 20 November 1996.

• That was Juve's only success in seven trips to the Rainy City, with their overall record away to the Manchester clubs reading W1 D2 L4. They also lost the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League final against AC Milan at Old Trafford.

• City are unbeaten in seven European home outings – six wins and a draw – since losing 1-0 to FC Midtjylland in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup second qualifying round.

• Juve have won both of their away games since their last trip to England ended in a 4-1 defeat at Fulham FC in last season's UEFA Europa League round of 16.

Team facts
• City's Italian manager Roberto Mancini spent the bulk of his career as a forward with UC Sampdoria and S.S. Lazio, winning the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with both. Having lifted the Italian Cup as a coach with Lazio and ACF Fiorentina, he won three successive Serie A titles – and two more cups – with FC Internazionale Milano between 2004 and 2008. He replaced Mark Hughes as City manager in December 2009.

• Juventus coach Luigi Delneri represented the likes of Udinese Calcio and Sampdoria as a player, with the highlights of his long coaching career including managing AS Roma in the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League, leading US Città di Palermo to the 2005/06 UEFA Cup group stage and finishing fourth in Serie A with Sampdoria last season. He took over at Juve in the summer.

• Juventus have played more UEFA club competition games than any other side in the group stage; the match against City will be their 348th.