Palermo plot Newcastle's downfall
US Città di Palermo will hope to take a second English UEFA Cup
scalp for the season as they take on Newcastle United FC in Group
H.
The two sides have never met in European competition.
Palermo won their opening Group H game 2-1 at Eintracht
Frankfurt, with Franco Brienza and Cristian Zaccardo scoring the
goals in Germany.
Newcastle, meanwhile, won 1-0 at home against Fenerbahçe SK, with
Antoine Sibierski finding the target.
Playing in only their second season in European competition, two
of their 13 European ties to date (nine wins, two draws and two
defeats) have been against English opposition.
Francesco Guidolin's men reached the UEFA Cup group stage after
overcoming Newcastle's Premiership rivals West Ham United FC 4-0 on
aggregate in the first round, winning 1-0 in London and 3-0 in
Sicily.
Coach Guidolin has played a further two two-legged European ties
against English opposition. His Vicenza Calcio side lost 3-2 on
aggregate against Chelsea FC in the 1997/98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
semi-final while his Bologna FC side lost 5-3 on aggregate against
Fulham FC in one of the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup finals.
In 89 UEFA competition games (51 wins, 15 draws and 23 defeats),
Newcastle have met Italian opposition on six occasions.
AS Roma knocked Newcastle out of the 1999/00 UEFA Cup third round
with a 1-0 win at home and a 0-0 draw at St James's Park.
Newcastle played both Juventus and FC Internazionale Milano in
the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League group stage, trading victories
with Juventus in the first group stage before losing 4-1 at home
and drawing 2-2 against Inter in the second group stage.
Palermo goalkeeper Albert Fontana was on the bench for both of
those games against Inter as cover for Francesco Toldo.
Newcastle are therefore yet to win a game on Italian soil, losing
twice and drawing once in three games.
RC Celta de Vigo take on Eintracht in Matchday 2's other Group H
game.
Franco Brienza celebrates scoring against Eintracht
