APOEL v Asteras background
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Article summary
APOEL will look to get some points on the board against Asteras Tripolis, who matched an all-time low in their last Group K game when they lost 4-0 at Schalke.
Article top media content
Article body
APOEL FC will look to get some points on the UEFA Europa League Group K board as Asteras Tripolis FC meet Cypriot opponents for the first time.
Previous meetings
• APOEL's eight UEFA games against Greek sides have ended W3 D3 L2 (W2 D1 L1 at home – W1 D2 L1 in Greece).
• Greek teams have had the better of the nations' clubs' 27 UEFA meetings – W14 D6 L7.
Form guide
• APOEL have lost their two Group K matches and are without a home victory in seven European fixtures (D3 L4). Asteras have not won any of their last six European games (D3 L3).
• Asteras's 4-0 setback at FC Schalke 04 on matchday two equalled their heaviest margin of defeat in UEFA competition – their only other loss by four goals was a 5-1 reverse at Tottenham Hotspur FC in last season's group stage.
• APOEL did not survive the group stage on their one previous appearance, in 2013/14.
• Asteras failed to get through to the round of 32 on their maiden group stage tilt last term.
Trivia and links
• The journey from Tripolis to Nicosia is around 1,000km.
• Several APOEL players have played for Greek clubs: Tomás De Vincenti (PAS Giannina, Kalamata FC, Olympiacos FC), Constantinos Charalambidis (Panathinaikos FC, PAOK FC), Nektarios Alexandrou (Larissa FC), Stathis Aloneftis (Larissa FC) and Urko Pardo (Iraklis FC, Olympiacos FC).
• APOEL are one of ten domestic champions in this season's group stage, along with KF Skenderbëu (Albania), Qarabağ FK (Azerbaijan), FC Viktoria Plzeň (Czech Republic), FC Midtjylland (Denmark), KKS Lech Poznań (Poland), FK Partizan (Serbia), Celtic FC (Scotland), Molde FK (Norway) and FC Basel 1893 (Switzerland).
The coaches
• Hired as APOEL coach this summer, Temuri Ketsbaia travelled widely as a midfielder and scored 17 goals in 49 appearances for Georgia. Having coached Anorthosis Famagusta FC and Olympiacos, he was in charge of Georgia from 2009–14.
• After a serious knee injury cut short his playing career, Staikos Vergetis dedicated himself to coaching, coming to Asteras as a youth specialist in 2006. He worked in various capacities, under 11 coaches, before finally being given the senior job in October 2013.
