FACTMAN: The best head-to-head facts for Matchday Five of the Champions League.
Napoli v Rangers
● Napoli and Rangers’ only previous European meeting was on MD2 of this season’s UEFA Champions League, the Italians winning 3-0 at Ibrox.
● In all European competition, Rangers have won just one of their 12 away matches in Italy (D2 L9), winning 3-2 against Livorno in the UEFA Cup in 2006 with goals from Charlie Adam, Kris Boyd and Nacho Novo.
● This will be the 16th time a British side have faced Napoli away from home in European competition, while only two of the previous 15 have picked up victories (D2 L11). The only team to win there in the UEFA Champions League was Manchester City in November 2017, in a 4-2 victory.
Spurs v Sporting
● Tottenham Hotspur and Sporting CP have only faced once previously, with Lisbon winning 2-0 on MD2 of this season’s UEFA Champions League.
● Sporting CP have won just two of their 15 away matches in England in European competition (D4 L9), winning 4-2 at Southampton in the UEFA Cup in October 1981 and 3-2 at Middlesbrough in March 2005, also in the UEFA Cup.
● Spurs have won six of their seven home European matches against Portuguese opposition (including qualifiers), with their one defeat coming against Benfica in March 2014 in the UEFA Europa League.
Barcelona v Bayern Munich
● Barcelona have lost nine of their 12 UEFA Champions League matches against Bayern Munich (W2 D1), including the last five in a row. Only Bayern Munich themselves against Real Madrid (10) have lost more games against a single opponent in Champions League history.
● Bayern Munich have won three of their five away UEFA Champions League matches against Barcelona (L2), the most of any side in the competition’s history. Along with Juventus and Real Madrid, they are one of three teams to have won more than they’ve lost away at Barça in the Champions League.
● Barcelona have lost their last two home games against German opponents in European competition – 0-3 v Bayern Munich in September 2021 in the UEFA Champions League and 2-3 v Eintracht Frankfurt in April this year in the UEFA Europa League. They have never previously lost three in a row at home to German opposition.
Ajax v Liverpool
● Ajax have lost their last three UEFA Champions League matches against Liverpool. The Amsterdam side have only lost 4+ in a row against two teams in the European Cup/Champions League: four vs Juventus (1997 – 2004) and seven vs Real Madrid (2010 – 2019).
● Liverpool won their last away match against Ajax in October 2020, winning 1-0 thanks to a Nicolas Tagliafico own goal. Their only other visit saw them lose 5-1 in the European Cup in December 1966.
● Ajax have won just one of their last eight home European matches against English teams (D1 L6), with their solitary win coming against Manchester City in October 2012.
