Rubin and Twente eye fresh start

Unbeaten in ten European home games, FC Rubin Kazan meet FC Twente in one of only two UEFA Europa League round of 32 ties to feature two sides that competed in this season's UEFA Champions League group stage.

Previous meetings
• This will be the first time the clubs have locked horns in Europe as well as their maiden experience of tackling a team from their opponents' home country.

• In 26 UEFA club competition matches between sides from these two nations, Russian teams have claimed 12 wins to their Dutch rivals' seven, with the other seven games ending in draws. The Russian clubs boast a record reading W7 D3 L3 on home soil against Dutch visitors.

Match background
• Rubin are unbeaten in ten European home encounters since going down 1-0 to Parma FC in the 2006/07 UEFA Cup first round. However, that run has included seven draws (three ending 1-1 and four finishing 0-0).

• A 2-0 UEFA Champions League group stage success at SV Werder Bremen remains Twente's only success in their last six European away games.

Team facts
• Deposed Russian champions Rubin are the least experienced side in the round of 32; this will be their 27th UEFA club competition fixture.

• Twente coach Michel Preud'homme's only previous game against Russian opposition as a coach ended in a 3-0 defeat at FC Zenit St Petersburg for his R. Standard de Liège side in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup.

• As a goalkeeper, Preud'homme appeared for SL Benfica in a pair of wins against FC Lokomotiv Moskva in the 1996/97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

• The overall winners will take on the victors in the tie between BSC Young Boys and Zenit St Petersburg in the round of 16 on 10 and 17 March, playing the first leg at home.