UEFA Europa League Official Live football scores & stats
Get
UEFA.com works better on other browsers
For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Marítimo readied for returning Newcastle

CS Marítimo hope to extend their unbeaten run to five matches as they kick off their Group D campaign against Newcastle United FC, back in continental competition after a five-year absence.

Marítimo players celebrate beating Dila Gori in the UEFA Europa League play-off second leg
Marítimo players celebrate beating Dila Gori in the UEFA Europa League play-off second leg ©Badri Ketiladze

CS Marítimo kick off their first UEFA Europa League group stage campaign against Newcastle United FC, returning to continental competition in Group D following a five-year absence.

Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time.

• Marítimo's four games against English sides were all against Leeds United AFC, who they met in the first round of two UEFA Cup campaigns, in 1998/99 and 2001/02. Leeds won both ties – the former on penalties – but in terms of individual games, Marítimo's record is W2 D0 L2 (W2 D0 L0 at home – W0 D0 L2 in England). They won both the home ties 1-0, and have thus yet to concede against English opponents in Funchal.

• Three games against Sporting Clube de Portugal represent the sum total of Newcastle's experience of Portuguese opposition. They drew 1-1 against Sporting in the 2004/05 UEFA Cup group stage, but lost out to the same side in the quarter-finals, winning 1-0 at home then going down 4-1 in Lisbon.

Match background
• Marítimo are unbeaten in four European games this season – two draws and two wins – as they embark on their maiden UEFA group stage campaign, having fallen at the final hurdle before this phase of the competition on three previous occasions.

• This is Newcastle's first season in European competition since they battled their way through the group stage to the 2006/07 UEFA Cup round of 16, losing out on away goals to AZ Alkmaar.

• The Magpies also featured in the inaugural UEFA Cup group stage in 2004/05, before losing out to Sporting in the last eight.

Team facts
• Marítimo have had three notable British players: Glaswegian striker Ian Wallace (1986-87), who once played for Newcastle's local rivals Sunderland AFC, Northern Ireland defender Colin Hill (1986-87) and striker John Richards (1983-85), who was on the losing side with Wolverhampton Wanderers FC in the first UEFA Cup final in 1972.

• Newcastle's Portuguese playing connections include centre-back Hélder Cristóvão, who spent a season on loan at St James' Park in 1999/2000 and midfielder Hugo Viana (2002-05).

• Sir Bobby Robson – who ended his career with a five-year spell as coach of Newcastle, the club he supported as a boy – enjoyed a successful spell in Portugal, leading Sporting (1992-93) and then winning two titles and a Portuguese Cup at FC Porto (1994-96). During that time, José Mourinho was his assistant and he gave a first break in football to another up-and-coming coach, André Villas-Boas.

• A defensive midfielder, Marítimo coach Pedro Martins reached a career peak with a three-year spell at Sporting (1995-98), later representing Boavista FC and CD Santa Clara.  He moved into coaching in the lower leagues, replacing Mitchell van der Gaag at Marítimo in 2010 following a spell as the club's youth team boss.

• Newcastle manager Alan Pardew was the 2011/12 Premier League manager of the year, having established himself at Reading FC, West Ham United FC, Charlton Athletic FC and Southampton FC prior to a move to Tyneside in 2010. A glazier and taxi driver while playing non-league football, the midfielder was in his mid-20s when he became a professional, playing for Crystal Palace FC and Charlton among others.

Selected for you