Atlético covet Panathinaikos' top spot

First place in Group B will be decided on the final day as Panathinaikos FC's perfect record faces a huge challenge against Club Atlético de Madrid in Spain.

• The sides finishing top of the UEFA Cup groups face sides that finish third in another group in the Round of 32, playing the second leg at home. Teams that end second will be drawn against one of the sides introduced from the UEFA Champions League, and also playing the second leg at home.

• Javier Aguirre's Atlético are second in the section with seven points, winning against Aberdeen FC and FC København following their opening-night draw at FC Lokomotiv Moskva. Victory in their concluding outing would see them finish top of Group B.

• Panathinaikos are one of four sides to have won their first three qualifying games, along with Everton FC, Hamburger SV and FC Girondins de Bordeaux. They, Hamburg and FC Basel 1893 are the only sides not to have conceded in the group stage yet.

• Wins against Aberdeen, København and Lokomotiv Moskva have put José Peseiro's side top of Group B, and they must now avoid defeat in Madrid to finish top of the section.

• Atlético right-back Giourkas Seitaridis will be up against his old club, having represented Panathinaikos between 2000 and 2004 prior to joining FC Porto after helping Greece win UEFA EURO 2004™. Now 26, he has scored once in 53 appearances for UEFA EURO 2008™ finals contenders Greece.

• Atlético defender Juan Valera celebrates his 23rd birthday on 21 December, the day after the game.

• Panathinaikos defender Jose Sarriegui Zumarraga will return to Spain for the match, where he played for Deportivo Alavés, SD Eibar and Athletic Club Bilbao before moving to Athens in the summer.

• Sebastian Romero also knows about Spanish football having played for Real Betis Balompié between 1999 and 2002.

• The two teams have never met in UEFA club competition.

• Atlético have played eight games against Greek teams in UEFA club competition, winning four, drawing two and losing two. In Spain, they have won all four of their ties.

• Panathinaikos have played 16 games against Spanish sides, winning three, drawing five and losing eight. However, all eight of their previous trips to Spain have ended defeat.

• Atlético boast two of the competition's top scorers in Diego Forlán and young prodigy Agüero. Forlán has scored four goals since the first round, while young Agüero has registered five times.

• Panathinaikos have a goalscoring star of their own, with Dimitrios Papadopoulos having also scored five.

• Panathinaikos have no disciplinary concerns ahead of the game, but Atlético's Luis García and Antonio López are both within a booking of a suspension.

• Aberdeen are at home against København in Thursday's other Group B game.

• The draw for the Round of 32 and Round of 16 will be held in Nyon on 21 December from 13.00CET.