UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - 2016/17 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS GSP - Nicosia Thursday 8 December 2016 19.00CET (20.00 local time) APOEL FC Group B - Matchday 6 Olympiacos FC Last updated 07/12/2016 03:42CET Match background 2 Legend 3 1 APOEL FC - Olympiacos FC Thursday 8 December 2016 - 19.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit GSP, Nicosia Match background APOEL and Olympiacos have both already qualified, but they meet in Cyprus with top spot in Group B still to play for. • Both teams are through; APOEL will clinch first place with a draw, while Olympiacos require victory to finish at the summit. Previous meetings • APOEL secured a shock 1-0 win at Olympiacos when the sides met for the first time in UEFA competition on matchday two. • APOEL's 11 fixtures against Greek teams have ended W5 D3 L3 (W3 D1 L1 at home). • Olympiacos's record in seven matches against clubs from Cyprus is W4 D1 L2 (W2 D0 L1 in Cyprus). Form guide • APOEL are unbeaten in five European home games this season (W4 D1). With nine points from five matchdays, APOEL have equalled their best record in a UEFA group stage, having also taken nine points in winning their UEFA Champions League section in 2011/12. • But for that loss to APOEL, Olympiacos would be unbeaten in Group B (W2 D2); their last two games in the section both ended 1-1. • APOEL confirmed their round of 32 place on matchday five, having failed to get through in their two previous UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns. • Olympiacos reached the round of 32 in their one previous UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League group stage foray, in 2008/09. Links and trivia • The journey from Piraeus to Nicosia is around 900km. • These sides are their respective countries' record title holders (Olympiacos with 43, APOEL with 25) and domestic cup winners (Olympiacos 27, APOEL 21). • APOEL's Greek forward Yannis Gianniotas is on loan from Olympiacos. • APOEL defender Mário Sérgio played under Olympiacos coach Paulo Bento at Sporting CP from 2005–06, but was loaned to Guimarães during that spell and later released by the club. • Several APOEL players have Greek league experience: Argentinian midfielder Facundo Bertoglio (Asteras Tripolis, 2015–16), Nektarios Alexandrou (Larissa, 2006–08), Stathis Aloneftis (Larissa, 2005–07) and goalkeeper Urko Pardo (Iraklis, 2007–08). The coaches • APOEL's Danish-born coach Thomas Christiansen was once a trainee at Barcelona, playing in their 1992 UEFA Super Cup success, and also scored once in two appearances for Spain. He joined APOEL this summer after two promising seasons in Cyprus as AEK Larnaca boss. • Paulo Bento was hired as Olympiacos coach in August 2016 following a brief interlude in Brazil. A player for Benfica and Sporting in his native Lisbon, he later won two Portuguese Cups as Sporting coach and was Portugal boss from September 2010 to September 2014. • As a Portugal player, Bento once made a brief cameo in a 6-0 home victory over the Cypriots; subsequently, as national coach, his team won 4-0 in Nicosia in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying. Chapecoense commemoration Teams taking part in all of the matchday six UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League fixtures will observe a minute's silence to pay respect to the victims of last week's air disaster involving the Chapecoense team and accompanying delegation. The Brazilian club lost most of their players and coaching staff in the accident, which occurred in Colombia, where Chapecoense were due to play the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final against Atlético Nacional. "European football is united in expressing its deepest sympathy to Chapecoense, the Brazilian Football Confederation [CBF], CONMEBOL and the families of all the victims," said UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin. "This tragedy has shaken the world of football, and we would like to send our support to all of those affected by it." 2 APOEL FC - Olympiacos FC Thursday 8 December 2016 - 19.00CET (20.00 local time) Match press kit GSP, Nicosia Legend Competitions Club competitions National team competitions UCL: UEFA Champions League EURO: UEFA European Football Championship ECCC: European Champion Clubs' Cup WC: FIFA World Cup UEL: UEFA Europa League CONFCUP: FIFA Confederations Cup UCUP: UEFA Cup FRIE: Friendly internationals UCWC: UEFA Cup Winners' Cup U21FRIE: Under-21 friendly internationals SCUP: UEFA Super Cup U21: UEFA European Under-21 Championship UIC: UEFA Intertoto Cup U17: UEFA Under-17 Championship ICF: Inter-Cities Fairs Cup U16: UEFA European Under-16 Championship U19: UEFA Under-19 Championship U18: UEFA European Under-18 Championship WWC: FIFA Women's World Cup WEURO: UEFA European Women's Championship Competition stages Other abbreviations F: Final GS: Group stage (aet): After extra time pens: Penalties GS1: First group stage GS2: Second group stage No.: Number og: Own goal 3QR: Third qualifying round R1: First round ag: Match decided on away P: Penalty R2: Second round R3: Third round goals agg: Aggregate R4: Fourth round PR: Preliminary round Pld: Matches played AP: Appearances SF: Semi-finals QF: Quarter-finals Pos.: Position Comp.: Competition R16: round of 16 QR: Qualifying round Pts: Points D: Drawn R32: Round of 32 1QR: First qualifying round R: Sent off (straight red card) DoB: Date of birth 1st: first leg 2QR: Second qualifying Res.: Result ET: Extra Time round sg: Match decided by silver GA: Goals against 2nd: second leg FT: Final tournament goal t: Match decided by toss of a PO: Play-off ELITE: Elite round coin Rep: Replay 3rdPO: Third-place play-off GF: Goals for W: Won PO - FT: Play-off for Final GS-FT: Group stage – final gg: Match decided by golden Y: Booked Tournament tournament goal L: Lost Y/R: Sent off (two yellow Nat.: Nationality cards) N/A: Not applicable f: Match forfeited Statistics -: Denotes player substituted +: Denotes player introduced *: Denotes player sent off +/-: Denotes player introduced and substituted Squad list D: Disciplinary *: Misses next match if booked S: Suspended QUAL: All UEFA qualifiers UEL: Current season total UEFA Europa League appearances from the group stage onwards prior to the current matchday UEL: Total appearances in the UEFA Europa League, group stage to final only UEFA: All-time total appearances in UEFA club competition including qualifying Disclaimer: Although UEFA has taken all reasonable care that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of publication, no representation or guarantee (including liability towards third parties), expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, reliability or completeness. Therefore, UEFA assumes no liability for the use or interpretation of information contained herein. More information can be found in the competition regulations available on UEFA.com. 3.