Larissa seek English double

Larissa FC will be hoping to secure a second notable success against Premier League opposition as they take on Everton FC at Goodison Park in their opening UEFA Cup Group A fixture.

• The two sides have never met in European competition.

• Everton's only previous meeting with Greek opposition ended badly for the Liverpool side. They were held 1-1 at home in the first leg of the 1970/71 European Champion Clubs' Cup quarter-final tie against Panathinaikos FC. Everton could then only manage a 0-0 draw in the Athens leg and so bowed out of the competition on away goals.

• By contrast, Larissa's only experience of English opposition has been positive. They won 2-0 at home against Blackburn Rovers FC in the home leg of a UEFA Cup first round tie this season before losing 2-1 away to book a place in the group stage.

• Larissa coach Georgios Donis knows English football well having been the first Greek player to play in the English Premier League after joining Blackburn from Panathinaikos in 1996. The former centre forward would later play for Sheffield United FC and Huddersfield Town FC.

• Larissa striker Ibrahima Bakayoko will be on familiar territory at Goodison Park having played for Everton in the 1998/99 season. The Ivorian scored four goals in 23 league games for the club after joining from Montpellier HSC but moved on to Olympique de Marseille in the following season.

• Larissa captain Nikos Dabizas will also know the away dressing rooms at Goodison Park having spent seven years in England with first Newcastle United FC and then Leicester City FC before returning home in 2005. He was part of Greece's triumphant UEFA EURO 2004™ squad.

• Everton last lost a European home game in the third qualifying round of the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League, going down 2-1 against Villarreal CF. Their only UEFA Cup home defeat to date was a 1-0 against Feyenoord in the 1979/80 UEFA Cup first round.

• Larissa have never won an away game in the UEFA Cup. Their only away victory in European competition to date was a 1-0 triumph at Servette FC in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup second round in November 1984.

• Larissa are one of five Greek clubs in the group stage along with AEK Athens FC, Aris Thessaloniki FC, Panathinaikos FC and Panionios GSS.

• FC Zenit St. Petersburg are at home against AZ Alkmaar in the day's other Group A game.