Asteras v Schalke background
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Article summary
Asteras are out of the running for a UEFA Europa League round of 32 place as they head into matchday six, but could deny Shalke top spot in Group K with a win or draw in Greece.
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Asteras Tripolis FC's UEFA Europa League adventure is nearing an end, but FC Schalke 04 need to maintain focus if they are to be certain of coming top of Group K.
• If AC Sparta Praha win at APOEL FC, and Schalke fail to beat Asteras, the Czech side would steal top spot in the section – on head-to-head record in the event that both teams finish on 12 points.
Previous meetings
• Schalke won 4-0 at home when the sides met for the first time in UEFA competition on matchday two.
• Asteras's only previous tie against a German club ended well – they won 3-1 at home after a 1-0 away defeat to eliminate 1. FSV Mainz 05 in last season's UEFA Europa League third qualifying round. Current Schalke midfielder Johannes Geis featured in both legs for Mainz.
• Schalke's seven games against Greek opposition have yielded stats of W4 D1 L2 (W2 D0 L1 in Greece). They are unbeaten in the most recent five of those matches (W4 D1).
Form guide
• Schalke have now made it to the round of 32 in three of their four UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns. They won the competition in 1997, eclipsing FC Internazionale Milano on penalties in the two-legged final.
• Asteras have now failed to get through to the round of 32 in both of their group stage appearances, having made their debut last term.
Trivia and links
• The journey from Gelsenkirchen to Tripoli Arkadia is not far off 2,000km.
• Klaas-Jan Huntelaar needs one more goal to reach 50 in UEFA club competition. Just 13 players have achieved that mark so far.
• Asteras left-back Kostas Giannoulis went to Germany to join 1. FC Köln in 2010 but left without making a first-team outing.
• Schalke's Austrian reserve goalkeeper Michael Gspurning has played in Greece for Xanthi FC (2007–12) as well as PAOK FC and Platanias FC (both 2014).
The coaches
• After a serious knee injury curtailed his playing career, the 39-year-old Staikos Vergetis dedicated himself to coaching, coming to Asteras as a youth specialist in 2006. He worked in various capacities, under 11 different coaches, before finally being given the senior job in October 2013.
• André Breitenreiter, 42, took over at Schalke in June having led SC Paderborn 07 to promotion in 2013/14, then steered them momentarily to the top of the Bundesliga. An attacking midfielder, he began his career with Hannover 96 and Hamburger SV yet spent the bulk of his playing days in the lower leagues.
