UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - 2017/18 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Štruncovy Sady Stadion - Plzen Thursday 23 November 2017 19.00CET (19.00 local time) FC Viktoria Plzeň Group G - Matchday 5 FCSB Previous meetings 2 Match background 4 Team facts 5 Squad list 7 Fixtures and results 9 Match-by-match lineups 12 Match officials 15 Legend 17 1 FC Viktoria Plzeň - FCSB Thursday 23 November 2017 - 19.00CET (19.00 local time) Match press kit Štruncovy Sady Stadion, Plzen Previous meetings Head to Head UEFA Europa League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers Budescu 21 (P), 44, 14/09/2017 GS FCSB - FC Viktoria Plzeň 3-0 Bucharest Alibec 72 UEFA Champions League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers Krmenčík 64; Bălașa 1-4 27, Filipe Teixeira 71, 02/08/2017 QR3 FC Viktoria Plzeň - FCSB Plzen agg: 3-6 F. Tănase 76, Alibec 79 (P) Budescu 37, Filipe 25/07/2017 QR3 FCSB - FC Viktoria Plzeň 2-2 Bucharest Teixeira 61; Krmenčík 23, Kopic 53 Home Away Final Total Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L GF GA FC Viktoria Plzeň 1 0 0 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 2 3 9 FCSB 2 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 1 0 9 3 FC Viktoria Plzeň - Record versus clubs from opponents' country UEFA Europa League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers FC Astra Giurgiu - FC Viktoria 03/11/2016 GS 1-1 Bucharest Stan 19; Krmenčík 25 Plzeň FC Viktoria Plzeň - FC Astra Hořava 86; Alibec 41, 20/10/2016 GS 1-2 Plzen Giurgiu Hořava 64 (og) UEFA Europa League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers Pilař 40; Filipe FC Viktoria Plzeň - FC Petrolul 1-4 Teixeira 20, Mutu 38, 07/08/2014 QR3 Plzen Ploieşti agg: 2-5 De Lucas 43, Tamuz 69 FC Petrolul Ploieşti - FC Viktoria 31/07/2014 QR3 1-1 Ploiesti Mutu 76; Kolář 90+1 Plzeň FCSB - Record versus clubs from opponents' country UEFA Champions League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers 2-0 03/08/2016 QR3 FCSB - AC Sparta Praha Bucharest Stanciu 31, 63 agg: 3-1 26/07/2016 QR3 AC Sparta Praha - FCSB 1-1 Prague Šural 35; Stanciu 75 2 FC Viktoria Plzeň - FCSB Thursday 23 November 2017 - 19.00CET (19.00 local time) Match press kit Štruncovy Sady Stadion, Plzen UEFA Champions League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers Badea 12; Šenkeřík 27/11/2007 GS FCSB - SK Slavia Praha 1-1 Bucharest 78 Šenkeřík 13, Belaid 19/09/2007 GS SK Slavia Praha - FCSB 2-1 Prague 63; Goian 33 UEFA Cup Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers 1-1 Ciocoiu 45; Dostálek 09/12/1999 R3 FCSB - SK Slavia Praha Bucharest agg: 2-5 51 Dostálek 1, 47, 25/11/1999 R3 SK Slavia Praha - FCSB 4-1 Prague Horváth 35, Tomáš Došek 55; Lutu 82 European Champions Clubs' Cup Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers 2-2 Hagi 38, Lăcătuş 77; 05/10/1988 R1 FCSB - AC Sparta Praha Bucharest agg: 7-3 Bílek 12, 88 Kukleta 20; Lăcătuş 07/09/1988 R1 AC Sparta Praha - FCSB 1-5 Prague 30, 45, Hagi 78, 88, Stoica 86 Home Away Final Total Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L GF GA FC Viktoria Plzeň 3 0 0 3 4 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 7 0 3 4 7 17 FCSB 6 2 4 0 5 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 11 4 5 2 23 15 3 FC Viktoria Plzeň - FCSB Thursday 23 November 2017 - 19.00CET (19.00 local time) Match press kit Štruncovy Sady Stadion, Plzen Match background The top two teams in UEFA Europa League Group G go head to head in Plzen for the second time this season, with already-qualified FCSB hoping for a repeat of the previous scoreline. • The Romanian club sealed their round of 32 berth on matchday four and will clinch first place in the section with a win or draw in the Czech Republic. Plzeň can join FCSB in the knockout phase with a game to spare, but only if they beat them and the other group fixture between Lugano and Hapoel Beer-Sheva ends in a draw. Previous meetings • The teams first met in this season's UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, FCSB making up for a 2-2 home draw with a 4-1 success in Plzen; Michael Krmenčík scored in both legs for Plzeň, but was sent off late in the return match. • The teams reconvened in the UEFA Europa League on matchday one, with FCSB maintaining their dominance as they ran out 3-0 winners in Bucharest thanks to two Constantin Budescu goals and another from Denis Alibec. • Plzeň are yet to win in seven games against Romanian opponents (D3 L4). • FCSB's record in 11 matches with Czech sides is W4 D5 L2 (W2 D1 L2 away). Form guide • Plzeň have suffered only two home defeats in the past two European seasons (W4 D3) – both to Romanian opposition. They have scored at least once in their last eight European home fixtures, striking ten goals in their last three (all wins, the biggest 4-1 against Lugano on matchday four). • The last time Plzeň won all three home games in their UEFA Europa League group, in 2012/13, they went on to reach the round of 16. • FCSB have qualified with ten points from their first four Group G matches. Their highest points tally in six previous UEFA Europa League group stage adventures is 11, which they achieved in 2012/13 – the only time they have gone through as section winners. • FCSB are unbeaten away from home in Europe this season (W3 D1), beating both Lugano and Hapoel Beer-Sheva 2-1 on their travels in the group stage. They have therefore doubled the number of away wins they had managed in 18 previous UEFA Europa League group fixtures (W1 D8 L9). • Runners-up in last term's Czech First League, Viktoria Plzeň are contesting the UEFA Europa League group stage for a third straight season and hoping to avoid a third successive autumn elimination. • Beaten 5-1 on aggregate by Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League play-offs, 2016/17 Romanian league runners-up FCSB are competing in the UEFA Europa League group stage for a seventh time since the tournament assumed its current format in 2009/10 (a record they share with Salzburg). They have now reached the knockout phase three times. Links and trivia • The journey from Bucharest to Plzen is a little over 1,100km. • Plzeň have won their opening 14 Czech First League games this season, building up a 13-point lead at the top of the table as they chase their fifth championship title in eight seasons. • This is FCSB's 41st game in the UEFA Europa League group stage – a competition record they share with Salzburg. • Suspended for next game if booked: Marek Bakoš (Plzeň); Constantin Budescu, Mihai Pintilii (FCSB). The coaches • After stints as Czech Republic and Anji coach, Pavel Vrba rejoined Plzeň this year, having earlier steered Viktoria to two championships between 2008 and 2013. Once a Baník Ostrava player and coach, he lifted the 2006/07 Slovak title as Žilina boss. • Nicolae Dică returned to FCSB as coach in May 2017, having served the club as a player in two previous spells, landing two titles – and a further one with CFR Cluj. The attacking midfielder also played in Italy, Greece and Turkey. 4 FC Viktoria Plzeň - FCSB Thursday 23 November 2017 - 19.00CET (19.00 local time) Match press kit Štruncovy Sady Stadion, Plzen Team facts FC Viktoria Plzeň Formed: 1911 Nickname: Viktorka UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets) • None Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets) League title: 4 (2016) Domestic cup: 1 (2010) Ten-year record (UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup unless indicated otherwise) 2016/17: group stage (having transferred from UEFA Champions League play-offs) 2015/16: group stage (having transferred from UEFA Champions League third qualifying round) 2014/15: third qualifying round 2013/14: round of 16 (having transferred from UEFA Champions League group stage) 2012/13: round of 16 2011/12: round of 32 (having transferred from UEFA Champions League group stage) 2010/11: third qualifying round 2009/10: did not take part in UEFA competition 2008/09: UEFA Champions League group stage 2007/08: UEFA Champions League group stage Records UEFA club competition • Biggest home win 5-0: Plzeň v Ruch Chorzów 09/08/12, UEFA Europa League third qualifying round second leg • Biggest away win 0-4: Pyunik v Plzeň 12/07/11, UEFA Champions League second qualifying round first leg • Heaviest home defeat 0-4: Plzeň v Barcelona 01/11/11, UEFA Champions League group stage • Heaviest away defeat 6-1: Bayern München v Plzeň 29/09/71, European Cup Winners' Cup first round second leg 5-0: Bayern München v Plzeň 23/10/13, UEFA Champions League group stage UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup • Biggest home win 5-0: Plzeň v Ruch Chorzów (see above for details) • Biggest away win 0-3: Napoli v Plzeň 14/02/13, round of 32 first leg • Heaviest home defeat 1-4: Plzeň v Petrolul Ploieşti 07/08/14, third qualifying round first leg • Heaviest away defeat 4-1 twice, most recently v Roma 24/11/16, group stage 3-0 twice, most recently v FCSB 14/09/17, group stage Fotbal Club FCSB Formed: 1947 Nickname: Roș-albaștrii (The Red and Blues) 5 FC Viktoria Plzeň - FCSB Thursday 23 November 2017 - 19.00CET (19.00 local time) Match press kit Štruncovy Sady Stadion, Plzen UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets) • European Champion Clubs' Cup (1): 1986, (1989) • UEFA Super Cup (1): 1986 Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets) League title: 26 (2015) Romanian Cup: 22 (2015) Ten-year European record (UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup unless indicated otherwise) 2016/17: group stage (having transferred from UEFA Champions League play-offs) 2015/16: play-offs (having transferred from UEFA Champions League third qualifying round) 2014/15: group stage (having transferred from UEFA Champions League play-offs) 2013/14: UEFA Champions League group stage 2012/13: round of 16 2011/12: round of 32 2010/11: group stage 2009/10: group stage 2008/09: UEFA Champions League group stage 2007/08: UEFA Champions League group stage Records