Hannover hopeful ahead of Standard test
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Article summary
Hannover 96 have a short but perfect home record to protect in their first meeting with Belgian opponents, while R. Standard de Liège will be hoping to capitalise on their hosts' inexperience.
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Hannover 96 go into their opening UEFA Europa League group stage game with a short but unblemished home record in UEFA competition, while R. Standard de Liège will be eager to pounce if their hosts' inexperience shows in Group B.
Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time in Europe and this is also Hannover's first meeting with Belgian opponents.
• Standard have played German sides in 25 previous UEFA competition ties, with the record W6 D6 L13 (W3 D3 L8 away from home). They have not won in nine games against German sides (four draws and five defeats) since a 1-0 home win against Karlsruher SC in one of the three 1996 UEFA Intertoto Cup finals.
• Standard's most recent win in Germany was a 2-0 at VfB Stuttgart in the group stage of the same competition. They have not won in their last six games on German soil.
Match background
• In only their second season in UEFA competition, Hannover boast a 100% home record; they have won both of their home fixtures 2-1, beating SV Werder Bremen in the 1992/93 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup first round and Sevilla FC in this season's UEFA Europa League play-offs.
• Hannover were regulars in the non-UEFA affiliated Inter-Cities Fairs Cup where their 11 home games ended W5 D2 L4. The likes of AFC Ajax, FC Barcelona and FC Porto all came unstuck at the old Niedersachsenstadion.
• Standard's record in their last ten European away games is W2 D2 L6. Both of those wins came by 3-1 margins: at Panathinaikos FC in the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League round of 16 and at Helsingborgs IF in this season's UEFA Europa League play-offs.
Team facts
• Hannover boss Mirko Slomka celebrated his 44th birthday on Monday 12 September. The coach led the club he had previously served as a player and assistant coach into Europe with a fourth-placed Bundesliga finish in his first season in charge.
• Slomka is competing in the group stage of this competition for the first time, but enjoyed success in the 2005/06 edition. He led FC Schalke 04 from the round of 32 to the semi-finals after replacing Ralf Rangnick as coach following the group phase.
• Standard boss José Riga is competing in Europe for the first time. Born in Liege, he previously served as the club's joint-coach, alongside his predecessor Dominique D'Onofrio, from 2003 to 2005. Since then, he has been in sole command of RAEC Mons and RCS Visé.
