European champions meet in Belgrade

 

• The two sides have met in two previous UEFA club competition ties.

• In the 1979/80 UEFA Cup, Bayern won 2-0 at home against the then Yugoslavian side, progressing to the quarter-finals despite a 3-2 second leg defeat in Belgrade.

• 'Red Star' avenged that defeat in the 1990/91 European Champion Clubs' Cup, winning 2-1 in Munich and drawing 2-2 at home in the semi-finals, setting them up for their final meeting with Olympique de Marseille, which they won on penalties after a 0-0 draw in Bari.

• Thus, Crvena Zvezda have never been beaten at home by Bayern, regarded by many as favourites to win the 2007/08 UEFA Cup.

• Crvena Zvezda have played 28 games in total against German sides in European competition. They have won 12 of those, drawn four and lost 12. At home, they have won nine, drawn four and lost one – with that lone defeat coming as VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach earned a 3-0 win in Belgrade in the second round of the 1977 European Champion Clubs' Cup.

• Bayern have played just eight games against Serbian sides, winning four, drawing two and losing two. In Serbia they have won one, drawn two and lost one.

• Crvena Zvezda's Portuguese midfielder João Lucas celebrates his 28th birthday on 25 October, the day of the Bayern match.

• Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld led two sides against Crvena Zvezda at the start of his coaching career. He is yet to secure a victory against the Serbian side.

• His first game as a coach in European competition ended in a 2-0 defeat for FC Aarau against the then Yugoslavian giants in Belgrade in the first round of the 1985/86 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. They drew 2-2 in the return leg.

• In the first round of the 1990/91 European Champion Clubs' Cup, Hitzfeld's Grasshoppers-Club side were drawn against Crvena Zvezda, drawing 1-1 in Belgrade but losing 4-1 at home.

• Crvena Zvezda and Bayern are two of only three sides involved in the group stage to have won the European Champion Clubs' Cup. Hamburger SV are the other former winners.

• Crvena Zvezda have won two and drawn one of their European home games this season.

• Bayern have scored eight goals in their last four European away games.

• Bolton Wanderers FC are at home against SC Braga in the day's other Group F game.

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