København strive to break German duck

VfB Stuttgart will look to prolong FC København's long wait for a first win against German opposition as William Kvist's old club journey south in UEFA Europa League Group E.

Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time in UEFA club competition.

• Stuttgart's three previous games against Danish opponents ended W2 D0 L1 (W1 D0 L1 in Stuttgart – W1 D0 L0 in Denmark).

• FCK have yet to win in six matches against German teams, boasting the unenviable record W0 D2 L4 (W0 D2 L1 in Germany - W0 D0 L3 in Copenhagen).

Match background
• Following a 2-0 loss at Molde FK on matchday two, Stuttgart are without a win in three European fixtures. However, they have lost only once in their last ten UEFA home ties – 2-0 against SL Benfica in last season's UEFA Europa League round of 32 – with that run including five wins and four draws.

• FCK have recorded only one win in their last seven outings on their European travels – 3-2 at Club Brugge KV in this season's UEFA Champions League third qualifying round. Four of those fixtures ended in defeat and they have not scored in their last two European away matches.

Team facts
• Denmark midfielder William Kvist won five titles and a Danish Cup between 2004 and 2011 with København, his first club, before moving to Stuttgart.

• Defender Lars Jacobsen (Hamburger SV, 1. FC Nürnberg) spent two seasons in Germany either side of his first spell with FCK.

• Stuttgart coach Bruno Labbadia played up front for some of Germany's top clubs – Hamburger SV, FC Bayern München and SV Werder Bremen among others – and is the only player to have scored more than 100 goals in both of Germany's top divisions. Since starting his coaching career at home-town side SV Darmstadt 98, he has been in charge at Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Hamburg, taking over at Stuttgart in 2010.

• FCK's coach is Ariël Jacobs, who led RSC Anderlecht from 2007-12, winning two titles and a Belgian Cup to add to the one he picked up at RAA Louviéroise in 2002/03. Once a striker with K. Diegem Sport, Jacobs coached national youth teams and assisted Guy Thys as senior Belgium boss before returning to club football.

• Jacobs took charge of Anderlecht midway through the 2007/08 UEFA Cup group stage, steering them through to the round of 16. He repeated that feat in 2009/10, and then led them to the last 32 in 2010/11 and 2011/12. He has thus never failed to lead a side through a European group stage.

• This is FARE Action Week, with UEFA giving its support to Europe's biggest anti-discrimination campaign. There are activities before each UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League game which will be witnessed by thousands of fans in the stadiums and millions on television. A 30-second RESPECT TV spot and announcements over stadium loudspeakers will encourage fans to join the UEFA family in its call to unite against racism in football. Every team will be accompanied on to the pitch by children wearing Unite Against Racism T-shirts and captains will be asked to wear a Unite Against Racism armband.