City size up Aris task

Manchester City FC host a Greek side in UEFA club competition for the first time as Aris Thessaloniki FC visit with a place in the round of 16 on the line.

• Both teams had their chances in an even first leg in Greece, but neither was able to make the decisive breakthrough and they will reconvene at the City of Manchester Stadium with the tie goalless.

Previous meetings
• This is the sides' first meeting in European competition, and also City's first tie against a Greek club.

• Aris have played six games against English opponents with the record W1 D3 L2 (W0 D1 L2 on English soil, with the draw coming in their most recent visit, against Bolton Wanderers FC in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup group stage).

• In the first leg, Aris successfully defended a 40-year unbeaten run in UEFA home matches, a 25-game streak that comprises 13 wins and 12 draws starting with a 1-1 result against another English club, Chelsea FC, on 16 September 1970.

Match background
• City are unbeaten in ten European games at the City of Manchester Stadium since a shock 1-0 loss to FC Midtjylland in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup second qualifying round. That remains their only loss at their new home.

• Aris have lost two of their five European away games this season, both by one-goal margins.

• Aris have not conceded in five European games – three wins and two draws – at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium.

• City have lost only one of their five European away matches this season, going down 3-1 at KKS Lech Poznań.

Team facts
• This second leg is Aris's 50th UEFA club competition game.

• City manager Roberto Mancini was involved in four games against Greek sides as a UC Sampdoria player; he scored his first goals in Europe as his team drew 1-1 away and won 1-0 at home against Larissa FC.

• He scored again as Sampdoria drew 1-1 at home against Panathinaikos in the 1991/92 European Champion Clubs' Cup. His record in four games against Greek teams reads W2 D2 L0.

• He also coached S.S. Lazio to a 4-0 aggregate win against Xanthi FC in the 2002/03 UEFA Cup.

• Héctor Cúper quit as Aris coach in January after a run of disappointing results in Greece. His stand-in replacement is former Aris defender Giannis Michalitsos.

• Winter Aris signing Nery Alberto Castillo made seven Premier League appearances for Manchester City FC in the 2007/08 season while the Mexican forward was on loan from FC Shakhtar Donetsk.

• Aris midfielder Mehdi Nafti spent four years in England with Birmingham City FC, featuring in a 1-0 Premier League loss at the City of Manchester Stadium on 20 October 2007.

• City's Michael Johnson celebrates his 23rd birthday on the day of the Aris game.

• The overall winners will take on the victors in the tie between Beşiktaş JK and FC Dynamo Kyiv in the round of 16 on 10 and 17 March, playing the first leg away from home.