Inter hoping Partizan pave way to glory

FC Internazionale Milano have reason for hope as they meet FK Partizan in UEFA Europa League Group H – they have beaten them in two previous two-legged ties and gone on to win a major European trophy both times.

Previous meetings
• Inter's record in four games against Partizan is W3 D1 L0 (W2 D0 L0 in Milan – W1 D1 L0 in Belgrade).

• Helenio Herrera's Inter overcame Hugo Rusevljanin's Partizan 4-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals en route to winning the 1963/64 European Champion Clubs' Cup, beating Real Madrid CF 3-1 in the final in Vienna.

• The teams for their first meeting, a 2-0 win for Inter in Belgrade on 26 February 1964 were:
Partizan: Šoškić, Sombolac, Mihajlović, Radović, Jovanović, Miladinović, Čebinac, Kovačević, Hasanagić, Galić, Vislavski.
Inter: Sarti, Burgnich, Facchetti, Guarneri, Picchi, Szymaniak, Tagnin, Jair, Mazzola, Milani, Suárez.

• The lineups for Inter's 2-1 win in the return leg on 4 March 1964 were:
Inter: Sarti, Burgnich, Facchetti, Guarneri, Picchi, Szymaniak, Tagnin, Corso, Jair, Mazzola, Suárez.
Partizan: Šoškić, Sombolac, Mihajlović, Radović, Jovanović, Miladinović, Bajić, Kovačević, Milutinović, Galić, Čebinac.

• It was also 4-1 on aggregate when Giovanni Trapattoni's Inter defeated Miloš Milutinović's Partizan in the third round of the 1990/91 UEFA Cup, with the Nerazzurri again going on to win the tournament, beating AS Roma in the two-legged final.

• The teams for the first leg, a 3-0 win for Inter at San Siro on 28 November 1990, were:
Inter: Zenga, Bergomi, Mandorlini, Battistini, Ferri, Paganin, Bianchi, Berti, Klinsmann, Matthäus, Serena.
Partizan: Pandurović, Stanojković, Milanič, Mialković, Petrić, Vujačić, Bogdanović (Šćepović 74), Mijatović, Višnjić, Djurdjević, Stevanović.

• The sides for the 1-1 draw in the return fixture on 12 December 1990 were:
Partizan: Pandurović, Stanojković, Milanič, Jokanović, Mialković, Vujačić, Bogdanović, Mijatović, Višnjić, Djurdjević (Šćepović 46), Stevanović.
Inter: Zenga, Bergomi, Baresi, Stringara, Tacchinardi, Mandorlini, Bianchi, Berti, Klinsmann, Matthäus, Serena

• Sladjan Šćepović, who came on in both legs for Partizan, is the father of the club's current strikers, Stefan and Marko Šćepović.

Match background
• Factoring in an additional tie against FK Crvena zvezda, Inter's record in six games against Serbian sides is W4 D2 L0 (W2 D1 L0 at home – W2 D1 L0 in Serbia).

• Partizan's 13 matches against Italian teams have ended W1 D4 L8 (W1 D2 L4 in Belgrade – W0 D2 L4 in Italy). That sole victory was a 4-2 win against AS Roma in the first leg of a UEFA Cup second round tie on 26 October 1988 – almost 24 years to the day before this fixture against Inter.

• Inter are without a win in three European home games this season – a 2-0 defeat followed by two 2-2 draws.

• Partizan have lost their last three away games in Europe since kicking off with a 4-1 win at Valletta FC in this season's UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. They have also been beaten in their last 12 away group stage fixtures in UEFA competition. The last time they avoided defeat on their travels in a group stage was with a 2-2 draw at S.S. Lazio on 25 November 2004.

• The point they picked up in the Italian capital is the only time in 18 group stage engagements in UEFA competition in which they have not been defeated. They have registered just six goals in those encounters.

Team facts
• Partizan's next goal will be their 300th in UEFA club competition – this is their 194th European game.

• Partizan, CS Marítimo and Sporting Clube de Portugal are the only sides who have yet to score in the group stage going into matchday three.

• Partizan's Stefan Šćepović briefly played in Italy in 2010, making two Serie A appearances while on loan at UC Sampdoria.

• Inter boast a notable Serbian talent in the form of midfielder Dejan Stanković, who started his career with Partizan's feeder team – FK Teleoptik – but transferred to Crvena zvezda at 14 and turned professional with Partizan's arch-rivals.

• Inter's coach is Andrea Stramaccioni, who stepped in on a caretaker basis to replace Claudio Ranieri in March 2012 and was then handed a contract for the 2012/13 campaign. A defender whose career was cut short by a serious injury at Bologna FC, he specialised in coaching youth teams, taking charge of the AS Roma and then Inter junior selections before getting the senior job.

• Partizan coach Vladimir Vermezović started his career as a defender for the club, moving abroad later to play for Real Sporting de Gijón, UD Salamanca, Panionios GSS and Hannover 96. He then coached Teleoptik before taking charge of the senior side from 2004-05, returning in 2012 following spells at FC Spartak Trnava and South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs FC.

• This is FARE Action Week, with UEFA giving its support to Europe's biggest anti-discrimination campaign. There are activities before each UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League game which will be witnessed by thousands of fans in the stadiums and millions on television. A 30-second RESPECT TV spot and announcements over stadium loudspeakers will encourage fans to join the UEFA family in its call to unite against racism in football. Every team will be accompanied on to the pitch by children wearing Unite Against Racism T-shirts and captains will be asked to wear a Unite Against Racism armband.