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Sevilla ready to cement advantage at Spartak Moskva

Group E leaders Sevilla will be looking to extend their advantage in the section away to Spartak Moskva, who have lost their last three games against Spanish clubs.

Fernando celebrates scoring for Spartak Moskva on matchday two
Fernando celebrates scoring for Spartak Moskva on matchday two ©AFP/Getty Images

Sevilla FC will look to consolidate their position at the top of Group E as they make the trip to FC Spartak Moskva, who are seeking to end a winless run in Europe lasting almost five years.

• The Spanish club have four points from two games so far, having registered their first victory via a 3-0 home win against NK Maribor on matchday two. Spartak have drawn both matches to date and are level on points with Liverpool FC, who they held 1-1 in their most recent fixture.

• This is the sides' first meeting.

Match background

Spartak Moskva
• Spartak have lost their last three games against Spanish clubs, most recently going down away (2-3) and home (0-3) against FC Barcelona in the 2012/13 group stage.

• Spartak are without a win in their last six fixtures against Liga sides, home and away (D2 L4), since a 1-0 victory at RCD Mallorca in the 2003/04 UEFA Cup third round second leg (1-3 aggregate). That is their only success in their last ten fixtures with Spanish sides (D2 L7).

• The Russian club's record at home to Spanish clubs is W3 D6 L4. They are without a win in their last five matches (D2 L3), since a 1-0 defeat of Real Madrid CF in the 2000/01 first group stage.

• This is Spartak's 12th group stage campaign, and first since 2012/13, when they came fourth in a section also including FC Barcelona, SL Benfica and Celtic FC. They have not graced the last 16 since 2000/01, when they reached the second group stage.

• On each of their last two group stage appearances, in 2010/11 and 2012/13, Spartak lost two home games and won the other.

• Before the Liverpool draw, Spartak had lost their previous three European home matches; they have now lost four of the last six. They have won only four of their last 18 home games, losing 11.

• The Moscow club qualified automatically for the group stage by lifting their 22nd league title in 2016/17. Last term, their European campaign ended at the first hurdle, with defeat by AEK Larnaca FC in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round.

• Spartak are without a win in their last nine European fixtures, home and away, since a 2-1 victory over Benfica on 23 October 2012. Their record since then is D4 L5.

Sevilla
• Sevilla have lost only one of their last eight games (W4 D3) against Russian clubs, 2-1 at home to PFC CSKA Moskva in the 2009/10 round of 16 second leg (2-3 aggregate).

• Their most recent fixtures came in the 2014/15 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, when they beat FC Zenit 4-3 on aggregate (2-1 home, 2-2 away) en route to lifting the trophy.

• Sevilla's overall record against Russian clubs is W5 D4 L3. Away it is W1 D4 L2 – the sole victory was a 1-0 success at FC Lokomotiv Moskva in the round of 32 of their victorious 2005/06 UEFA Cup campaign.

• Having drawn 2-2 at Liverpool on matchday one, Sevilla's sole defeat in their last nine away matches in UEFA competition (W3 D5) was a 2-0 reverse at Leicester City FC in the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg, completing a 3-2 aggregate loss.

• Last term, Sevilla made it to the round of 16 for the first time since 2009/10 – but they have never gone further in the UEFA Champions League era. This is their fifth group stage campaign and their third in a row.

• Sevilla qualified by finishing fourth in the 2016/17 Spanish Liga. They beat Turkey's İstanbul Başakşehir in August's play-offs, winning the away first leg 2-1 before a 2-2 draw in southern Spain.

Coach and player links
• Sevilla coach Eduardo Berizzo got the better of Russian opposition with RC Celta de Vigo in last season's UEFA Europa League round of 16, beating FC Krasnodar 2-1 at home and 2-0 away.

• Nicolás Pareja played for Spartak between 2010 and 2013, making 47 league appearances and scoring three times.

• Luis Muriel and Joaquín Correa were team-mates with Fernando at UC Sampdoria in 2015/16.

• Mario Pašalić spent 2014/15 at Elche CF, playing 64 minutes of a 3-0 defeat at Sevilla on 15 March 2015.

• Nolito and Lorenzo Melgarejo were Benfica team-mates in 2012/13.

Match facts

Spartak
• Spartak are nine games unbeaten in all competitions, drawing five of them.

• Spartak have conceded 18 goals in their opening 13 league fixtures of the campaign; last season it took 21 games for them to let in that many.

• Aleksandr Samedov provided an assist in both of Russia's October friendlies – against South Korea (4-2) and Iran (1-1).

Sevilla
• Saturday's 1-0 loss at Athletic Club is one of only two defeats Sevilla have suffered in 12 matches this season.

• Sevilla have kept a clean sheet in six of their last nine games in all competitions.

• Wissam Ben Yedder has scored seven goals in nine appearances for Sevilla this term.