Plzeň and Fenerbahçe lock horns
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Article summary
FC Viktoria Plzeň have won their last seven European home games, but Fenerbahçe SK are on a hot streak on their travels as they head into the round of 16.
Article top media content
Article body
On a seven-game winning run at home in Europe, FC Viktoria Plzeň will look to keep the goals flowing as a Fenerbahçe SK team who have been in fine fettle on their travels come to the Czech Republic in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg.
Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time in UEFA competition.
• Plzeň's only previous encounter with Turkish opposition came in the 2010/11 UEFA Europa League third qualifying round, when they drew 1-1 against Fenerbahçe's Istanbul rivals Beşiktaş JK in Prague and lost 3-0 away.
• Fenerbahçe's eight games against Czech sides have ended W3 D0 L5 (W1 D0 L3 in the Czech Republic). They conceded 14 goals in their first three visits to the Czech Republic, culminating in a 7-1 UEFA Cup loss at SK Sigma Olomouc in November 1992 – their worst result in the competition – but won 1-0 at AC Sparta Praha on their most recent trip.
Match background
• Since losing 4-0 to FC Barcelona in last season's UEFA Champions League group stage, Plzeň have gone nine home games without defeat – two draws followed by seven straight wins. During that winning streak they have scored 18 goals and conceded just one.
• Plzeň have yet to lose in nine UEFA Europa League home fixtures, qualifying and play-off matches included.
• They are playing in the last 16 of a major UEFA competition for the first time.
• Fenerbahçe have not lost away since a 2-1 reverse at FC Spartak Moskva in the play-off. Since the start of the group stage their record is W3 D1; they have not conceded in their last three fixtures on the road.
• Fenerbahçe have reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League (2007/08) and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1963/64) but are making their debut in the last 16 of this competition.
• FC Internazionale Milano and Plzeň are the highest scoring sides left in this season's UEFA Europa League, with 16 goals each from matchday one onwards. Plzeň also boast the best defensive record in that period, with just four goals conceded.
Team facts
• Plzeň reserve goalkeeper Petr Bolek (Kasımpaşa SK, 2009) and midfielder Pavel Horváth (Galatasaray AŞ, 2001) have both had brief spells in the Turkish league.
• Five Plzeň players – goalkeeper Matúš Kozáčik, midfielder Vladimír Darida and defenders David Limberský, Radim Řezník and Marián Čišovský – have featured in every minute of their eight games since the start of the group stage, 720 minutes each in total.
• FC Anji Makhachkala and Plzeň are the two longest surviving teams in the competition having both entered in the second qualifying round.
• Pavel Vrba's career as a defender peaked with spells at RH Cheb and FC Baník Ostrava and in the 1980s. After coaching the national Under-20 side, he won the Czech title as assistant coach of Baník (2003/04) and the Slovakian crown with MŠK Žilina (2006/07), moving on to Plzeň in 2008. He lifted the Czech Cup in his second season and the league title in his third, in 2010/11, then masterminded their progress to the UEFA Champions League group stage the following term.
• Aykut Kocaman made his name with Fenerbahçe as a striker, winning two titles in an eight-year stint (1988–96). He moved into coaching at Istanbulspor AŞ and – following spells at Malatyaspor, Konyaspor and Ankaraspor AŞ – became Fenerbahçe's director of football. He then took over as coach in 2010, winning the title in his first season and the Turkish Cup in the next campaign.
