Everton put record to test against Wolfsburg
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Article summary
Everton FC have yet to lose to German opposition, but that record will be on the line at home against VfL Wolfsburg as the duo begin their UEFA Europa League Group H campaign.
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Everton FC will hope to extend their fine run of form against German opposition as they kick off their UEFA Europa League Group H campaign at home against VfL Wolfsburg.
Form guide
• Everton have yet to lose in five European games against German opponents (W2 D3), while both of Wolfsburg's previous trips to England ended in 2-1 defeats.
• Everton made it through to the knockout phase in both of their previous UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns, but have lost two of their last three European home games at Goodison Park.
• Wolfsburg are without a win in four European away matches (D2 L2).
Trivia and links
• Wolfsburg's French midfielder Josuha Guilavogui turns 24 the day after the Everton game.
• Everton's Romelu Lukaku, Samuel Eto'o and Christian Atsu were on the books at Chelsea FC alongside Wolfsburg's Kevin De Bruyne.
• Wolfsburg's Danish forward Nicklas Bendtner also knows plenty about English football, having been an Arsenal FC player between 2005 and 2014, when he joined his current club.
• Everton's Arouna Koné (Hannover 96, 2010) and Steven Pienaar (Borussia Dortmund, 2006-08) have Bundesliga experience, along with their Bosnian international club-mate Muhamed Bešić, who was born in Berlin and started his career at Hamburger SV.
The coaches
• Everton's attack-minded Spanish manager Roberto Martínez was a fine midfielder in the English lower leagues with the likes of Wigan Athletic FC and Swansea City AFC, and coached both clubs with great success, notably winning the 2012/13 FA Cup with the Latics before taking charge of Everton in June 2013.
• At one stage a lower-league midfielder and trainee policeman, Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking is back in Europe for the first time since leading second-tier TSV Alemannia Aachen into the 2004/05 UEFA Cup group stage. More recently, he has coached Hannover and 1. FC Nürnberg, taking up his current post in December 2012.
