Holders eager to prove their worth

RSC Anderlecht meet AFC Ajax for the first time on Matchday 2 when FC Shakhtar Donetsk, at home to Serbian titleholders FK Partizan, will be looking to justify captain Darijo Srna's claim that they are primed to add the UEFA Europa League to the UEFA Cup they claimed in May.

Previous meeting
Shakhtar were in bruising form as they began the group stage with 4-1 win at Club Brugge KV, and a buoyant Srna told uefa.com: "I think – no, I know – we're favourites to win the competition this year." They certainly have cause for confidence in a Group J game which could see the Pitmen's Igor Duljaj come up against the club with whom he won three Serbian titles. Coach Mircea Lucescu met Partizan in the 1989/90 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals while at the helm of FC Dinamo 1948 Bucureşti in his native Romania, winning 4-1 on aggregate.

Goalscoring stutter
In the big tie in Group A, Ajax will look to atone for a goalless opening-night draw against FC Timişoara by beating an RSC Anderlecht side whose incisive counterattacking football earned a 2-0 victory over NK Dinamo Zagreb. Ajax have been prolific in the Netherlands this season, and defender Toby Alderweireld hopes they can keep up their striking mojo in Belgium, saying: "Anderlecht are also an attack-minded team, so maybe there will be more space for us in Brussels. That could work in our favour."

Unbeaten run
In other eye-catching ties, the side that scored the first goal of the new group stage – Genoa CFC – face a glamour tie at Valencia CF. The Italian side are looking to maintain an unbeaten away run in UEFA club competition that dates back to a defeat at Real Oviedo in September 1991. Their hosts, however, have not lost over 90 minutes in their last 13 European games.

Balancing act
Elsewhere, Sporting Clube de Portugal meet Hertha BSC Berlin, AEK Athens FC take on SL Benfica and Werder Bremen host Athletic Club Bilbao. Galatasaray AŞ – 3-1 winners at Panathinaikos on Matchday 1 – are at home to SK Sturm Graz and will be looking to balance their footballing books following a draw and a defeat in their only previous meeting with the Austrian side in the 2000/01 UEFA Champions League group stage.

Video interviews and highlights from all the week's UEFA Europa League matches can be found by clicking here.