PREVIEW: Champions League Week 2 (3 October)

FOOTBALL - The following are key facts about the UEFA Champions League matches that will take place on Wednesday 3 October: FC Porto - Paris Saint-Germain, Dynamo Kyiv - Dinamo Zagreb, Arsenal - Olympiacos, Schalke 04 - Montpellier HSC, Anderlecht - Málaga CF, Zenit St. Petersburg - AC Milan, Ajax - Real Madrid and Manchester City - Borussia Dortmund.

Group A: FC Porto - Paris Saint-Germain (3 October, 20:45 CET)

> FC Porto and Paris Saint-Germain have met each other twice in European competitions. In the group stage of the 2004/2005 Champions League edition, PSG won the match in France 2-0. The match in Portugal ended 0-0.

> Porto hold the record of having used the most different players. 173 different players have been used in their 133 CL-matches. Barcelona (146) and Real Madrid (142) are next on the list.

> Paris Saint-Germain are on a streak of nine Champions League away matches without a win. A club record. Their last away win in this tournament was in November 1997 against IFK Goteborg (0-1).

Group A: Dynamo Kyiv - Dinamo Zagreb (3 October, 20:45 CET)

> Dynamo Kyiv and Dinamo Zagreb have met each other twice before in European cup matches. They played in the third qualification round of the 2003/04 Champions League season. Kyiv won both encounters (3-1 and 0-2) to proceed to the group stage.

> Kyiv will play their 150th home match in Europe. Their home record: 82 wins, 37 draws and 30 losses.

> Zagreb are 10 matches without a win in the Champions League and have conceded at least one goal in all of these encounters.

Group B: Arsenal - Olympiacos (3 October, 20:45 CET)

> This is the third time in the last four seasons that these clubs have met in the CL group phase. In all four previous matches the home side won.

> Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 13 CL home matches, since losing 3-1 to Manchester United in May 2009.

> Olympiacis have won their last three away European matches without conceding a goal (all 0-1). Both are club records. They can become the first Greek club to win four successive European away matches. Panathinaikos also won three in a row (between 1993 and 1994).

Group B: Schalke 04 - Montpellier HSC (3 October, 20:45 CET)

> Schalke have a perfect record against French opposition in European home matches, beating AS Nancy, Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyon on one occasion each.

> After their win at Olympiacos, Schalke now have a positive balance in the CL (15W-6D-14L). In CL home matches, their balance is also positive (10W-2D-5L).

> During the 1-2 loss against Arsenal in matchround 1, Younes Belhanda became the 11th player from Morocco with at least one CL goal. In September 1997, Mustapha Hadji (Sporting CP) was the first.

Group C: Anderlecht - Málaga CF (3 October, 20:45 CET)

> Anderlecht have played 23 matches against a Spanish team (W10 – D2 – L11), recording their biggest win against Spanish opposition on the last occasion, vs Athletic Bilbao (4-0) in the first knockout round of the Europa League in Feb 2010.

> Anderlecht have failed to win their last nine CL home matches (W0-D2-L7), since a 1-0 win vs Olympique Lyon in Nov 2003. The CL record is 11 home matches without a win, set by Spartak Moskva in 2001-2006.

> Málaga’s only appearance in Europe before this season was in 2002/2003. They reached the quarterfinal of the UEFA Cup where they were eliminated by Boavista.

Group C: Zenit St. Petersburg - AC Milan (3 October, 18:00 CET)

> Zenit have played six matches against an Italian opponent in a European cup match (W1–D2–L3). At home they have lost only once: against Bologna (0-3) in the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup season.

> Zenit are currently 16 home matches without a defeat in European competition. Their last home defeat was in September 2008 against Real Madrid: 1-2.

> Milan have not won their last four CL matches, since their 4-0 home victory against Arsenal in February. Their worst run was five winless matches from Oct 2009 until Sep 2010.

Group D: Ajax - Real Madrid (3 October, 20:45 CET)

> This is the 11th European meeting between Real Madrid and Ajax. All previous 10 were in the Champions Cup/Champions League, with the last six in the CL main tournament. Real have won five, including the last four. Ajax have beaten Real four times.

> Ajax have not scored in their last 3 CL matches, since a 4-0 home win vs Dinamo Zagreb last season. This is already a club record.

> Real can join Juventus (1997-2010) as the only clubs to beat Ajax five times in a row in European history.

Group D: Manchester City - Borussia Dortmund (3 October, 20:45 CET)

> Dortmund can become the first club to beat both City and United in Manchester in a European competition.

> City are unbeaten at home in their last 17 European matches, since losing 0-1 vs FC Midtjylland in Aug 2008.

> Brothers Kolo Habib Touré (67-2) and Yaya Touré (40-4) combined have almost as many matches CL experience as Dortmund’s entire squad: 102-113. Their six goals combined equals Dortmund’s entire squad total.