Astra Giurgiu v Viktoria Plzeň background
Monday, October 24, 2016
Article summary
Astra Giurgiu and Viktoria Plzeň have managed just one win between them in the opening three matchdays but are far from out of the running in what is proving to be a close Group E.
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Having shaken off two defeats to get the better of Viktoria Plzeň in the Czech Republic, Astra Giurgiu will look to nudge their way into UEFA Europa League Group E's top two places as the sides meet again.
Previous meetings
• Astra exploited some wobbly defending to win 2-1 when the teams met for the first time in UEFA competition on 20 October.
• Astra beat Slovan Liberec home and away in the third qualifying round of the 2014/15 competition. They won 3-2 in Liberec and 3-0 in Giurgiu.
• Plzeň were eliminated by Petrolul Ploieşti – Astra's local rivals until their 2012 move to Giurgiu – in their only previous encounter with Romanian opposition, drawing 1-1 away and losing 4-1 at home at the same stage that season. Astra's Geraldo Alves played in those games for Petrolul.
Form guide
• Astra and AZ have conceded the most goals in this season's group stage: eight each.
• Astra have not won a European home game this term (D2 L1).
• Plzeň are without a victory in 12 European matches (D6 L6) and have drawn six of their last eight UEFA fixtures – including five of their seven fixtures this season.
• Astra were eliminated at the end of their only preceding UEFA Europa League group stage campaign in 2014/15.
• Plzeň have advanced from one of their previous two UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns, reaching the round of 16 in 2012/13.
Links and trivia
• The journey from Plzen to Giurgiu is around 1,150km.
• Astra's Portuguese defender Geraldo Alves could make his 50th UEFA club competition appearance on matchday four.
• Plzeň's Martin Zeman comes into matchday four as the most fouled player in the group stage this season with 13 infringements against him.
The coaches
• Marius Șumudică steered Astra to a maiden Romanian title in 2015/16, having previously won the league as a player with Rapid Bucureşti in 1998/99. He played in Portugal, Hungary and Cyprus as a striker, and has coached in Greece and the United Arab Emirates.
• Roman Pivarník took the Plzeň reins this summer following a two-year stint with Prague side Bohemians. This is his first continental foray as a coach, though he notably helped Rapid Wien make the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final as a midfielder in 1996.