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Young Boys v Everton background

BSC Young Boys are on terrific form at home in Europe as they prepare to welcome Everton FC in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie.

YB have earned a string of wins in Berne
YB have earned a string of wins in Berne ©AFP/Getty Images

BSC Young Boys will hope to extend a seven-game winning run at home in the UEFA Europa League as they welcome Everton FC in the round of 32.

Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time and this is Everton's first encounter with Swiss opponents.

YB's four previous games against English sides include two 2012/13 UEFA Europa League group stage matches against Everton's neighbours Liverpool FC – a 5-3 home defeat and a 2-2 draw on Merseyside.

• Past results suggest this should be a high-scoring game; YB scored three goals in both of their previous home fixtures against English teams, but conceded seven in the course of those matches.

Form guide
YB have won their last seven European home games since that loss to Liverpool in September 2012. This season, they have struck 13 goals and let in just one in their five UEFA Europa League matches in Berne.

YB last reached the round of 32 in 2010/11 when they bowed out to FC Zenit. They have not won a two-legged European tie in the springtime since the 1958/59 campaign, overcoming FC Wismut Aue en route to the European Champion Clubs' Cup semi-finals.

Everton are unbeaten away from home in Europe this term (W1 D2).

Everton lost out to Sporting Clube de Portugal in their last UEFA Europa League round of 32 assignment in 2009/10. They made it to the round of 16 in 2007/08, beating SK Brann 8-1 on aggregate in the last 32.

Trivia and links
YB's Swiss international right-back Scott Sutter was born and raised in England, moving to Switzerland – his father's home country – in 2002. He was a childhood Tottenham Hotspur FC fan.

Everton defender Tony Hibbert turns 34 the day after the first leg against YB; team-mate Bryan Oviedo turns 25 the day before the match.

YB midfielder Moreno Costanzo also has a birthday the day after the game: he's 27 on 20 February.

Everton midfielder Gareth Barry will make his 50th UEFA club competition appearance if he plays against YB.

Young Boys are one of five sides to have advanced from the third qualifying round to the round of 32 along with Club Brugge KV, FC Dinamo Moskva, PSV Eindhoven and Torino FC.

The coaches
• A one-time central defender, Young Boys coach Uli Forte is enjoying his first foray in Europe. Having moved into coaching as player-manager at FC Red Star Zürich, he took charge of FC Wil 1900, FC St Gallen and Grasshopper Club Zürich before taking command at Young Boys in 2013.

Everton's attack-minded Spanish manager Roberto Martínez was a midfielder in the English lower leagues with the likes of Wigan Athletic FC and Swansea City AFC, and coached both clubs with notable success, winning the 2012/13 FA Cup with the Latics before being installed at Everton in June 2013.

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