Gabala v Anderlecht background
Monday, November 7, 2016
Article summary
The only side to lose their first four games in this season's group stage, Gabala will look to slow Anderlecht's passage to the round of 32 when the teams meet in Group C.
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Article body
Gabala are out of contention for a UEFA Europa League round of 32 place but have pride at stake as they welcome Anderlecht, the Belgian side fresh from one of their biggest European wins.
• Anderlecht qualify with a victory. A draw will be enough if Mainz fail to win.
Previous meetings
• Anderlecht beat Gabala 3-1 on matchday one; it was their first meeting and Gabala's maiden fixture against Belgian opponents.
• Anderlecht recovered from a goal down to defeat Gabala's domestic rivals Qarabağ 2-1 at home on matchday six last term, a victory that sealed their place in the round of 32. Qarabağ had won the reverse fixture 1-0.
• In the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round, Anderlecht overcame Neftçi 5-0 at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium before losing the return leg 1-0 in Baku.
Form guide
• Gabala are the only club with no points and became the first side to be eliminated from the group stage on matchday four.
• Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Gabala are the only teams who have advanced from the first qualifying round to the group stage in this season's UEFA Europa League.
• Anderlecht are unbeaten in six UEFA Europa League games this term (W4 D2); their 6-1 triumph against Mainz was one of their biggest home successes in UEFA competition – they have now won three UEFA home games 6-1 and another 5-0.
• Gabala picked up two points and scored just the two goals when they made their UEFA Europa League group debut last term.
• Anderlecht have made it through all five of their previous UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns.
Links and trivia
• The journey from Brussels to Gabala is just shy of 3,500km.
• Qabala defender Vitaliy Vernydub is the son of Yuriy Vernydub, who is coaching Zorya Luhansk in this season's group stage.
The coaches
• Gabala finished third in Azerbaijan last term in their first campaign under Ukrainian coach Roman Hrygorchuk. He made his name in management in Latvia and previously got through the UEFA Europa League group stage as boss of Chornomorets Odesa in 2013/14.
• Capped once by Switzerland, René Weiler is in his first season as Anderlecht coach having spent his first two years abroad with Nürnberg in Germany from 2014–16. The one-time defender established his coaching reputation in his home country with Schaffhausen and Aarau.
