Austria Wien look to home comforts as Metalist visit

FK Austria Wien are on something of a winning streak at home in Europe as they welcome FC Metalist Kharkiv in their opening UEFA Europa League Group G fixture.

Previous meetings 
• The sides are meeting for the first time in Europe.

• Austria's record in 11 games against Ukrainian sides reads W3 D3 L5 (W3 D0 L2 at home). They have won their last three home fixtures against Ukrainian clubs since a 1-0 European Champion Clubs' Cup loss to FC Dynamo Kyiv on 21 October 1981.

• In Metalist's only meeting with Austrian opponents, they fell foul of SK Sturm Graz in the 2009/10 UEFA Cup play-offs. Their only previous game in Austria finished 1-1, but they lost 1-0 in the home return.

• Austria Wien midfielder Peter Hlinka played for Sturm in both of those games.

Match background
• Austria have gone six games unbeaten at home in Europe (four wins, two draws) since their last UEFA Europa League group stage home fixture, a 3-0 loss against Athletic Club on 3 December 2009.

• The Vienna side's record in nine UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage home games is W1 D3 L5.

• Metalist won 4-0 at FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in their play-off decider to end a four-game wait for a European win – and indeed a European goal.

• Metalist have lost only one of their last eight European games on the road, 2-0 at Bayer 04 Leverkusen in last season's UEFA Europa League round of 32, recording four wins and three draws in that run.

Team facts
• Austria's Dutch attacker Nacer Barazite was the top scorer in UEFA Europa League qualifying this season, scoring eight goals in six appearances. The former Arsenal FC trainee joined Austria in January following loan spells with Derby County FC and Vitesse.

• Austria midfielder David Oberortner celebrates his 20th birthday on the day of the match. He is yet to make an appearance in European competition.

• Metalist midfielder Serhiy Valyayev turns 33 the day after the Austria match. He was one of Myron Markevich's first signings when he took over as Metalist coach back in 2005.

• Six-times capped Austria midfielder Karl Daxbacher racked up almost 400 league appearances as a player for Austria Wien, winning seven titles and four Austrian Cups, as well as playing in the 1978 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final, which his side lost 4-0 to RSC Anderlecht. He has coached his old club since 2008, winning the Austrian Cup in his first full season in charge.

• Markevich is a keen student of coaching – he has made trips to study Fabio Capello, Christoph Daum and Carlo Ancelotti – and is also an able pianist. He was named Ukraine coach on his 59th birthday, but stepped down in August 2010 to focus on Metalist.