Champions League Matchday 4: Viking vs Sabah facts

After a memorable result in their first home UEFA Champions League fixture, Viking will look to record a first win in the competition proper as fellow debutants Sabah visit Norway on Matchday 4.

Previous meetings

This is the first fixture between the sides and a first match for either club against opposition from the other's country.

Club history

Viking

This is Viking's first Champions League campaign since 1992/93, when they lost 0-1 on aggregate to Barcelona in the first round (0-1 a, 0-0 h).

Viking have reached a European group stage/league phase only once, finishing fourth in their five-team section in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup group stage.

Sabah 

Sabah had never played in the European Cup before this season.

Indeed, this is only the Azerbaijan club's fourth European campaign – all in succession since their 2023/24 debut in the UEFA Conference League. That, like their next two European seasons, ended in that competition's third qualifying round.

Links and trivia

Viking's Erik Botheim scored both goals in Malmö's 2-1 win away to Sabah's domestic rivals Qarabağ in the league phase of the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League.

Fellow forward Veton Berisha also faced Qarabağ in the Europa League, appearing twice for Molde in the 2023/24 group stage (0-1 a, 2-2 h).

A 1-3 loss at Aston Villa last time out was Viking's third defeat in their last nine European matches (W3 D3).

Viking's 3-3 home draw with Bayern München on Matchday 2 earned their first point in the Champions League proper.

Viking's record in their debut campaign in the Champions League proper is D1 L2.

The Norwegian side have scored in their last 11 European matches, a club record.

Each of Viking's last seven home games produced at least three goals.

None of Viking's last 27 home matches in UEFA competition finished goalless, since that 0-0 draw against Barcelona in the 1992/93 Champions League first round.

Zlatko Tripić has been directly involved in three of Viking's five Champions League goals (one goal, two assists). Peter Christiansen has scored in his last two appearances.

Sabah have lost their last three away European games, including 0-4 at Manchester United on Matchday 1.

Sabah's record in this season's competition is W7 L4; they have kept five clean sheets. They went down 1-2 at home to Borussia Dortmund in their last fixture having beaten Slavia Praha 2-0 in Baku on Matchday 2.

There has been a winner in Sabah's last 15 European games (W9 L6).