Wednesday's UCL action: What the stats say

FK Krasnodar v Rennes

Each of Krasnodar’s five previous meetings with French opponents in major European competitions have seen both sides score (W1 D3 L1), including their only such match against Rennes in October (1-1).

This will be Rennes’ first ever away game against Russian opponents in any European competition, while Krasnodar have hosted French sides twice previously, drawing 1-1 with Lille in November 2014 and beating Nice 5-2 in September 2016, both in the UEFA Europa League.

Both FK Krasnodar and Rennes have been eliminated from the group stages of the UEFA Champions League this season, with the winner of this match going into the UEFA Europa League round of 32.

FK Krasnodar (D1 L3) and Rennes (D1 L3) are both winless so far in their maiden UEFA Champions League campaigns. CSKA Moscow (1992-93) and Spartak Moscow (1993-94) are the only Russian sides to remain winless in their first five games in the competition, while Montpellier in 2012-13 are the only French side to do so.

FK Krasnodar have lost both of their UEFA Champions League home games by an aggregate score of 1-6, with four of those six goals conceded coming in the final 15 minutes of games.

Rennes have lost each of their last six away games in major European competition (excluding qualifiers), scoring just twice and conceding 13 times in the process.

Rennes have averaged just 4.5 shots per game away from home in the UEFA Champions League this season, compared to 16.5 per game at home in the competition so far.

Only Barcelona (25) have used more different players in the UEFA Champions League this season than Rennes (24), though the French side have had just one goalscorer in the competition so far.

FK Krasnodar have faced more shots (81) and more shots on target (33) than any other side in the UEFA Champions League so far this season.

Serhou Guirassy has scored both of Rennes’ UEFA Champions League goals so far this season, though the French side are yet to score away from home in the competition.

Sevilla v Chelsea

Sevilla are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with English sides in major European competition (W3 D4) since losing 2-0 away to Leicester City in March 2017.

Chelsea have only won one of their last 10 games against Spanish opponents in the UEFA Champions League (D6 L3), and are winless in six (D4 L2) since a 2-1 win over Atlético de Madrid in September 2017.

Sevilla and Chelsea have both already qualified for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 this season, with whoever wins this match qualifying as group winners. Sevilla haven’t topped their Champions League group since 2009-10, while Chelsea last did so in 2015-16.

Sevilla have never failed to score in 17 previous UEFA Champions League group stage home games before (W13 D2 L2). The Spanish side are unbeaten in five such games (W4 D1) since losing 1-3 to Juventus in November 2016.

Since losing their opening game of the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League campaign against Valencia, Chelsea are unbeaten in their last nine group stage games in the competition (W6 D3), winning each of the last three in a row.

This is the third time Sevilla have remained unbeaten in their first four UEFA Champions League group stage matches, after 2009-10 and 2016-17 – they’ve never been unbeaten in their first five in a single edition of the competition before.

Chelsea are looking to win four consecutive UEFA Champions League matches for the first time since March/April 2012, en route to winning the trophy for the only time.

Sevilla’s Ivan Rakitic has scored in each of his last two UEFA Champions League matches, never previously scoring in three in a row in the competition before. Indeed, the Croatian has never scored more than twice in a single Champions League campaign.

Since the start of the 2018-19 season, Olivier Giroud has scored 12 goals in the UEFA Europa League/Champions League for Chelsea, double that of any other player at the club. The Frenchman netted a stoppage-time winner in their last game against Rennes.

Chelsea’s Timo Werner has been involved in nine goals in nine UEFA Champions League away games (8 goals, 1 assist), while he’s also got the most goal involvements in the competition for the Blues so far this season (3 goals, 1 assist).

Borussia Dortmund v Lazio

The home side has won all three previous meetings between Borussia Dortmund and Lazio in major European competition, with Dortmund winning their only such match 2-0 in the 1994-95 UEFA Cup quarter-final.

Lazio have only won one of their seven previous away games against German sides in European competition (including qualifiers), a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart in the UEFA Europa League in March 2013 (D2 L4).

Borussia Dortmund need to avoid defeat to progress to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 this season – they’ve only failed to make it out of the group stages in one of their last seven appearances in the competition (2017-18).

Borussia Dortmund are unbeaten in their last eight UEFA Champions League group stage home games (W6 D2), keeping six clean sheets in the process since a 1-2 loss against Tottenham Hotspur in November 2017.

Borussia Dortmund have won their last five UEFA Champions League home games, last having a longer winning run at home in the competition between September 2012-October 2013 (7).

Lazio are unbeaten in their four UEFA Champions League games this season (W2 D2), their longest unbeaten run in the competition since their first eight games between September-December 1999 (W5 D3).

Lazio have won just one of their last 14 away games in the UEFA Champions League (D4 L9), and are winless in their last seven on the road (D3 L4) since beating Besiktas 0-2 in September 2003.

Lazio striker Ciro Immobile has scored in all three of his UEFA Champions League appearances at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, doing so as a Borussia Dortmund player in the 2014-15 campaign.

Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland has scored 16 goals in just 12 UEFA Champions League appearances, including eight in six from just 13 shots on target for the German side. Only Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (19) and John Carew (18) have scored more in the competition among Norwegian players.

Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho has scored in his last two UEFA Champions League games – if he scores in this match, at 20 years and 252 days he’d be the second youngest Englishman to score in three consecutive appearances in the competition, after Alan Smith with Leeds in the 2000-01 campaign (20y 158d).

Club Brugge v Zenit St Petersburg

Having lost their first competitive meeting with Zenit St Petersburg in September 1987, Club Brugge have since won both of their last two against them, including their only such home meeting in the 1987-88 UEFA Cup first round second leg (5-0).

Excluding qualifiers, Zenit St Petersburg have lost each of their last three away games at Belgian opposition in major European competition, losing twice to Anderlecht (November 2012 and February 2017) and once to Gent (December 2015).

In their 2-1 win over Zenit St Petersburg in October, Club Brugge scored their latest ever UEFA Champions League goal courtesy of Charles De Ketelaere’s winner timed at 92:50. De Ketelaere (19y 224d) also became the Belgian side’s youngest ever score in the competition with that strike.

Club Brugge have only won home and away group stage games against the same opponent twice before (1992-93 vs CSKA Moscow and 2005-06 vs SK Rapid Wien), winning the reverse fixture against Zenit 1-2 on MD1.

Club Brugge are winless in their last 12 UEFA Champions League home games (D5 L7) – only FCSB (13 between 1996-current) have had a longer run without a win at home in the competition.

Zenit have lost each of their last four UEFA Champions League away games, and are winless in seven on the road in the competition (D1 L6) since beating Lyon 0-2 in November 2015.

If Zenit fail to win, they will finish bottom of their UEFA Champions League group for the second consecutive season – they hadn’t finished last in their group in any of their six previous campaigns in the competition.

Zenit have never lost in seven previous games played on MD5 of the UEFA Champions League group stages (W3 D4) – only Deportivo de La Coruña have played more games on a specific group stage matchday without ever losing (8 on MD1, including second group phase games).

Since the start of last season, Emmanuel Dennis has been involved in four of Club Brugge’s seven UEFA Champions League goals (57%), scoring three and assisting another.

Zenit’s Artem Dzyuba has been involved in 13 goals in his last 18 UEFA Champions League appearances (9 goals, 4 assists). In the history of the European Cup/Champions League, only one Russian player has reached double figures for goals (Sergei Yuran, 13).

Juventus v Dynamo Kiev

Juventus have won four of their previous five meetings with Dynamo Kiev in all competitions (D1), with each coming in the UEFA Champions League between 1998 and 2020.

No Ukrainian side has ever beaten Juventus in the UEFA Champions League, with the Italian club winning five and drawing two of seven such games.

Dynamo Kiev have only won one of their 12 previous away games against Italian sides in major European competition (D5 L6), a 3-0 win at Roma in the 2004-05 UEFA Champions League group stage.

Juventus – who have already qualified for the round of 16 – have lost just two of their last 26 group stage home games in the UEFA Champions League (W16 D8), though one of those defeats came this season (vs Barcelona).

Dynamo Kiev have won just one of their last 12 UEFA Champions League games (D4 L7), beating Besiktas 6-0 in December 2016. The Ukrainian side are looking to avoid losing three consecutive matches in the competition for the first time since losing all six group stage games in 2007-08.

Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo has scored three goals in two UEFA Champions League appearances against Dynamo Kiev, with these coming for Manchester United in 2007. Should he score in this match, it will be 13 years and 25 days after his last goal against Kiev, which would be the longest ever gap between goals by one player against a single side in the history of the competition (currently Gerard Piqué v Dynamo Kiev, 12y 363d between Nov 2007 and Nov 2020).

Juventus’ striker Alvaro Morata has scored five goals in his four UEFA Champions League appearances so far this season – he’s never scored more in a single campaign in the competition (also five in 2014-15).

Last time out against Ferencváros, Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 70th home goal in the UEFA Champions League, levelling with Lionel Messi for the most ever in the competition. If he scores here, he will be the outright highest home goalscorer in the Champions League.

Viktor Tsygankov has scored in his last two UEFA Champions League appearances – the last player to score in three in a row for Dynamo Kiev was Serhiy Rebrov in the 1999-00 campaign (4).

No player has assisted more UEFA Champions League goals this season than Juventus’ Juan Cuadrado (4, joint with Kevin de Bruyne), with the Colombian setting up both of Juve’s goals in their comeback win against Ferencváros last time out.

Ferencváros v FC Barcelona

Ferencváros are winless in their last six meetings with Spanish clubs in all competitions (D4 L2); however, the Hungarian side have never lost at home to a Spanish team in any European competition (P7 W5 D2 L0).

Barcelona have won all of their previous five competitive meetings with Hungarian sides, including a 5-1 win at home to Ferencváros in this season’s UEFA Champions League.

Barcelona have won all four of their UEFA Champions League games this season, meaning they’ve made it past the opening round group stages in each of their last 19 campaigns in the competition.

Barcelona are looking to win each of their first five UEFA Champions League group stage games for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign, when they won all six in the first round group stages.

Since winning their first ever UEFA Champions League match 3-0 against Grasshopper Club Zurich in September 1995, Ferencváros are winless in each of their last nine games in the competition (D3 L6).

In their 10 total UEFA Champions League games, Ferencváros have kept one clean sheet (3-0 vs Grasshopper Club in 1995) and failed to score on just one occasion (0-4 v Ajax, December 1995). Of all teams to play at least 10 games in the competition, the Hungarian side have had the highest % of matches in which both teams have scored (80% - 8/10).

Ferencvaros’ five home UEFA Champions League matches have seen 23 goals scored (8 for, 15 against) at an average of 4.6 per game, the most of any team to play at least five home games in the competition.

In Barcelona’s 5-1 win over Ferencváros in October, they became the first side in UEFA Champions League history to see two players aged under 18 score in the same match (Ansu Fati and Pedri). Both players have since celebrated their 18th birthdays.

Lionel Messi’s absence from their 0-4 win over Dynamo Kiev was only the fourth of Barcelona’s last 43 games in the UEFA Champions League he hadn’t featured. Barcelona have won eight of their last nine Champions League games without Messi (D1) since losing 2-1 to Ajax in November 2013.

Martin Braithwaite scored twice in his first UEFA Champions League start for Barcelona against Dynamo Kiev – the last player to score in their first two starts in the competition for Barcelona was David Villa in 2010.

Istanbul Basaksehir v RB Leipzig

Istanbul Basaksehir have only won one of their five previous meetings with German opposition in major European competition (D2 L2), losing their only such game against RB Leipzig 2-0 in this season’s UEFA Champions League.

German clubs have only lost one of their last 14 away games against Turkish opponents in all European competitions (W6 D7); however, that one defeat was RB Leipzig’s only previous such match in the UEFA Champions League (0-2 at Besiktas in September 2017).

Istanbul Basaksehir have lost three of their four games in the UEFA Champions League this season (W1), however they did win their most recent home game in the competition – 2-1 v Manchester United on MD3.

RB Leipzig come into this game on the back of defeats in each of their last away games in the UEFA Champions League (0-5 v Manchester United and 0-1 v Paris SG). Including qualifiers, they have never previously lost three in a row away from home in European competition.

Istanbul Basaksehir have won four of their last six home games in European competition (L2) – including qualifiers, this is twice as many wins as they managed in their first 11 home games (D5 L4).

Since the start of last season, only Chelsea (7) have been awarded more penalties than RB Leipzig (5) in the UEFA Champions League, while no team have scored more than them in this period (all five converted).

Edin Višca has been directly involved in both of Istanbul Basaksehir’s goals from open play in the UEFA Champions League this season (one goal and one assist), with their only other goal in the competition this term coming from a direct free-kick scored by Deniz Türüç (versus Manchester United on MD4).

Angeliño has had a direct hand in more goals than any other RB Leipzig player in the UEFA Champions League this season (3 – two goals and one assist), while he’s also directly contributed to more shots than any other player for the team (14 – six shots and eight chances created).

Istanbul Basaksehir’s Edin Višca has attempted more shots from outside the box than any other player in the UEFA Champions League this season, however he’s yet to score with any of his 11 attempts from distance.

Since making his debut for RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League in September 2017, no player has scored more goals for the club (7) than Emil Forsberg in the competition.

Manchester United v Paris Saint-Germain

The away side has won all three of the previous European meetings between Manchester United and Paris SG, with the French side winning 2-0 in their only such visit to Old Trafford, in the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League last 16.

Manchester United’s 0-2 defeat to Paris SG in February 2019 is their only loss in 15 home games against French opposition in all European competitions (W10 D4).

Paris SG have only lost one of their last seven away games in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League (W4 D2), however that defeat did come in their most recent away trip in the competition – 1-2 v RB Leipzig on MD3.

Manchester United have won each of their last seven games at Old Trafford in European competition, scoring 24 goals and conceding just two in return – they last had a longer run between September 2006 and April 2008, winning 12 in a row, all in the UEFA Champions League.

Since the start of the 2016-17 season, Paris SG have only failed to score in one of their 39 games in the UEFA Champions League, while they’ve netted an average of 2.4 goals per game in this run (95 in total). The only side to keep a clean sheet against them in this run was Bayern Munich in last season’s final.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has won three of his four group stage games in the UEFA Champions League (L1), including each of the two played at Old Trafford. The team’s other victory was achieved away at Paris SG, back on MD1 of this season’s tournament.

Following wins in each of the last two, Manchester United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could become just the second manager to win three consecutive UEFA Champions League games against Paris SG, after Luis Enrique with Barcelona in 2014-15.

Paris SG forward Neymar has been directly involved in 60 goals in 63 appearances in the UEFA Champions League (36 goals and 24 assists) – since his debut in the competition in 2013, his 24 assists is the most of any player.

Only Marcus Rashford (5) – who netted a hat-trick against RB Leipzig on MD2 – has been directly involved in more goals in the UEFA Champions League for Manchester United this season than Bruno Fernandes (4 – three goals and one assist), while no player has created more chances for the club in the competition this term (7, equal with Alex Telles).

Source: Opta