PSG look to eliminate Benfica

Unbeaten in four home games against Portuguese opposition, Paris Saint-Germain FC will look to turn around their UEFA Europa League round of 16 tie against SL Benfica at Parc des Princes.

• Benfica lead 2-1 from the first leg. PSG had made their first-half dominance tell when Péguy Luyindula opened the scoring on 14 minutes. The hosts, though, levelled through Maxi Pereira before the break and while Antoine Kombouaré's men limited the Eagles to few chances thereafter, substitute Franco Jara tipped the balance in Benfica's favour nine minutes from time.

Previous meetings
• The sides' only previous meetings came in the 2006/07 UEFA Cup round of 16, with Fernando Santos's Benfica losing 2-1 to Paul Le Guen's PSG in Paris, but prevailing with a 3-1 victory in Lisbon. Simão's 89th-minute penalty proved to be decisive following Youssuf Mulumbu's dismissal for a foul on Léo in the box.

• The teams for the first leg in Paris on 8 March were:
PSG: Landreau, Rozehnal, Mendy, Armand* (Dramé 79), Sakho*, Edouard Cissé, Chantôme*, Rothen (Gallardo 61, Luyindula* 73), Frau, Kalou, Pauleta.
Benfica: Quim, Anderson, Luisão* (David Luiz 33), Léo, Nelson, Petit, Simão, Karagounis, João Coimbra (Beto 72), Derlei (Nuno Gomes* 68), Miccoli.

*eligible to play in this match

Match background
• Benfica have played 21 games against French sides with the record W10 D5 L6 (W3 D1 L6 in France). Their Matchday 9 win maintains their record of never having lost at home to Ligue 1 opponents.

• PSG's nine games against Portuguese sides have ended W4 D2 L3 (W3 D1 L0 in Paris). They have never lost at home against a Liga side.

• Five of PSG's last seven European fixtures ended in draws, with a 4-2 home win against Sevilla FC on UEFA Europa League group stage Matchday 5 and Thursday's loss in Lisbon interrupting that run.

• PSG are unbeaten in 14 European home games at Parc des Princes since a 4-2 loss to Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC on 23 November 2006. That run comprises eight wins (including the one against Benfica) and six draws.

• During this period they have kept 11 clean sheets in Paris, scoring 24 goals while conceding just five.

• Prior to their 2-0 round of 32 win at VfB Stuttgart, Benfica had lost all three of their 2010/11 European away games without scoring.

Team facts
• Of the sides left in the last 16, FC Twente (1975), Benfica (1983) and Rangers FC (2008) have all been on the losing side in UEFA Cup finals.

• Benfica's Argentinian midfielder Eduardo Salvio is the only player left in the competition who featured (and indeed was on the winning side) in last season's inaugural UEFA Europa League final. The 20-year-old is on loan from Club Atlético de Madrid.

• PSG's Claude Makelele was on the winning side in Benfica's heaviest European defeat. Later a star at Real Madrid CF and Chelsea FC, the defensive midfielder scored as his RC Celta de Vigo side won 7-0 at home (and then drew 1-1 away) against the Eagles in a 1999/2000 UEFA Cup third round tie.

• PSG eliminated an SC Braga side coached by Benfica boss Jorge Jesus from the 2008/09 UEFA Cup round of 16, drawing 0-0 at home but prevailing 1-0 away thanks to Guillaume Hoarau's 81st-minute strike.

• Benfica's next defeat will be their 100th in UEFA club competition. This is their 331st UEFA club competition game, making them the most experienced side left in the UEFA Europa League.

• Benfica's first goal against PSG in the home leg was their 150th in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Cup; this is their 98th game in the competition.

• Benfica boast French talent in the form of 19-year-old left-back Lionel Carole, who joined the club from FC Nantes in January; he has yet to represent his new side in Europe.

• Benfica striker Javier Saviola played in two wins for AS Monaco FC against PSG while on loan with the Riviera side in the 2004/05 season; PSG defender Sylvain Armand was on the losing side in both.

• PSG have a notable Portuguese hero in Pauleta; the Azores Cyclone represented the club from 2003 to 2008, scoring over 100 goals in all competitions. He is still with the club in an advisory role.

• Players who have represented both clubs include defender Humberto Coelho (Benfica 1968-75 and 1977-84, PSG 1975-77) as well as midfielders João Alves (Benfica 1978-79, PSG 1979-80), Valdo (Benfica 1988-91 and 1995-97, PSG 1991-95) and Hugo Leal (Benfica 1997-99, PSG 2001-04).

• In addition, Artur Jorge – a former Benfica striker – coached both clubs, winning the 1993/94 French title with PSG before spending the following campaign with Benfica, with his side finishing third in the Liga.

Penalties
• Benfica have been involved in two penalty shoot-outs in UEFA club competition. They lost the 1988 European Champion Clubs' Cup final 6-5 on spot kicks after a 0-0 draw with PSV Eindhoven in Stuttgart, but beat PAOK FC 4-1 in a shoot-out in Lisbon to settle a 1999/2000 UEFA Cup second round tie.

• PSG's only UEFA club competition penalty shoot-out ended in a 4-3 loss to Rangers FC at Parc des Princes in a 2001/02 UEFA Cup third round tie.