Young Boys v Napoli background
Monday, October 6, 2014
Article summary
BSC Young Boys are on a run of five straight European home wins as they take on SSC Napoli, who have made a bright start in UEFA Europa League Group I.
Article top media content
Article body
BSC Young Boys are on a hot streak at home in Europe while SSC Napoli have struggled on their travels. Will their meeting in UEFA Europa League Group I go with the form book?
Form guide
• Young Boys have won their last five European home matches, scoring 15 goals in the process; their last home defeat was high-scoring too – 5-3 against Liverpool FC in the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League group stage.
• The Swiss side has edged three of the last four UEFA competition meetings with clubs from over the border in Italy.
Trivia and links
• Young Boys defender Steve von Bergen played in Italy with AC Cesena, Genoa CFC and US Città di Palermo. For the two months that he was on the books at Genoa – in the summer of 2012 – he was a team-mate of Napoli's Giandomenico Mesto.
• Italy's four representatives – Napoli, ACF Fiorentina, FC Internazionale Milano and Torino FC – are unbeaten in this season's group stage, posting seven wins and a draw between them. Their combined goal difference is 15 for and just one against.
• Young Boys' 3-1 loss at AC Sparta Praha on matchday two was their 50th UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup match; their record in those fixtures reads W22 D12 L16.
The coaches
• A one-time central defender, Young Boys coach Uli Forte is enjoying his first foray in Europe. Having moved into coaching as player-manager at FC Red Star Zürich, he took charge of FC Wil 1900, FC St Gallen and Grasshopper Club before taking command at Young Boys in 2013.
• Napoli coach since May 2013, Rafael Benítez won two Spanish titles and the 2003/04 UEFA Cup with Valencia CF, the 2004/05 UEFA Champions League with Liverpool FC and the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League with Chelsea FC. The Spaniard lifted the Coppa Italia in his first Napoli campaign.
• With over 150 UEFA club competition games to his name, Benítez is the most experienced coach in the group stage. One of just three coaches to have won this competition twice, he could yet join Giovanni Trapattoni as only the second to get his hands on the trophy three times.
