Sevilla v Molde background

Back in the competition after bowing out of the UEFA Champions League group stage, holders Sevilla FC start their bid for a third successive UEFA Europa League title against Norwegian outsiders Molde FK.

Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time and it is Sevilla's first encounter with Norwegian opponents.

• Molde have yet to win in six games against Spanish teams: W0 D3 L3 (W0 D1 L2 at home – W0 D2 L1 in Spain). They have yet to score at home against a Spanish club.

Form guide
• Sevilla have won 11 of their last 12 European home fixtures – the only exception a 3-1 loss to Manchester City FC in this season's UEFA Champions League group stage. They have won their last nine at home in the UEFA Europa League since a 2-0 defeat by city rivals Real Betis Balompié in the 2013/14 round of 16.

• Molde were unbeaten away from home in the group stage, winning at Fenerbahçe SK (3-1) and Celtic FC (2-1) and drawing with AFC Ajax (1-1).

• Sevilla won the UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League for a record fourth time last term. No team has won three consecutive editions of a UEFA men's football club tournament since FC Bayern München's third straight European Champion Clubs' Cup triumph in 1975/76.

• This is Molde's first springtime UEFA tie and the 13th game of their longest European campaign to date. Molde and FC Midtjylland have had the longest campaigns of any sides in this season's round of 32, both having started out in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round.

Trivia and links
• The journey from Molde to Seville is around 2,950km.

• Molde left-back Knut Olav Rindarøy spent the 2010/11 season on loan in Spain with RC Deportivo La Coruña.

• Molde are one of five sides in the round of 32 who qualified for Europe this season as domestic champions along with FC Basel 1893 (Switzerland), Galatasaray AŞ (Turkey), FC Midtjylland (Denmark) and Olympiacos FC (Greece), though Molde have since lost their title to Rosenborg BK.

• Molde's Daniel Hestad became the oldest scorer in UEFA Europa League history at 40 years and 98 days with the winner at Celtic on matchday four.

• The second leg of this tie will be Molde's 50th UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League game and will take place the day before Molde coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær's 43rd birthday.

• Sevilla's Daniel Carriço has played in a record 55 matches in the UEFA Europa League (including qualifying) since the advent of the competition in 2009/10.

The coaches
• Unai Emery oversaw Sevilla's successes in the last two editions of the UEFA Europa League, having assumed control in January 2013. The one-time midfielder made his name in a four-year spell in charge of Valencia CF and briefly coached FC Spartak Moskva in 2012.

• Solskjær succeeded caretaker boss Erling Moe on the eve of matchday three. The former Manchester United FC forward scored 31 goals in 38 outings for Molde before moving to Old Trafford and coached the club from 2011–14, winning two league titles and a national cup.