Dinamo Kiev v Stoke City
Stoke City won all four of their Europa League qualifying ties to get to this stage, conceding just one goal in the process.
Dinamo Kiev have scored exactly two goals in four of their last five European home games against English opposition (excl. qualifiers).
The Ukrainian side have conceded just five goals in their last 10 matches in the Europa League (excl. qualifiers).
The last time that Stoke City won a European match that wasn't a qualifying game, was back in September 1972 versus FC Kaiserslautern; 3-1 at home.
Stoke City are unbeaten in 2011/12, winning six times and drawing twice whilst conceding only two goals.
Five of Stoke's eight matches in all competitions this season have seen them win 1-0.
Dinamo come in to this match on the back of a seven game winning streak in all competitions.
PAOK Salonika v Tottenham Hotspur
PAOK scored eight goals in their four qualifying matches for the Europa League this season, conceding only once.
Salonika have met English opposition only twice in Europe (excl. qualifiers), knocking Spurs' North London rivals Arsenal out of the 1997/98 UEFA Cup in the first round with a 2-1 aggregate win (1-0 at home, 1-1 away).
Tottenham lost their only previous European match (excl. qualifiers) against a Greek opponent away from home, losing 1-0 to Olympiakos in October 1972.
Only five of the last 44 European matches between Greek and English sides (excl. qualifiers) have been won by the team from Greece.
Emmanuel Adebayor scored four goals in his four Europa League appearances for Manchester City in 2010/11 (excl. qualifiers).
PAOK Salonika have won their last eight competitive matches at the Toumba Stadium on the trot.
Shamrock Rovers v Rubin Kazan
Shamrock Rovers defeated 2010/11 Champions League participants Partizan Belgrade in their EL fourth qualifying round tie to reach this stage.
As a result, Shamrock Rovers have become the first Irish side to reach the group stage of any European tournament.
The League of Ireland side's Tallaght Stadium is the smallest in the 2011/12 Europa League, with a capacity of just 8,600.
The last Irish side to win a European match that wasn't a qualifier was Bohemians, when they defeated FC Kaiserslautern 1-0 away in September 2000 (UEFA Cup).
The only previous meeting in a European tie (excl. qualifiers) between Irish and Russian sides came back in September 1989, when Torpedo Moscow defeated Cork City 1-0 at home and 5-0 in Ireland.
Rubin Kazan have won just one of their last six competitive matches.
Atletico Madrid v Celtic
Atletico's new striker Falcao broke Jurgen Klinsmann's record of most goals in a single European campaign by netting 17 goals in 14 Europa League games for Porto last season.
Celtic have lost two and drawn two of their previous four games against Atletico Madrid (excl. qualifiers).
Of the previous seven games that Atletico have played against a Scottish side in Europa (excl. qualifiers), only once have they suffered defeat - 1-2 away at Hearts in September 1993 (UEFA Cup).
The Madrid side have won just two of their last 11 home games in European competition (excl. qualifiers).
Only one of the last 27 competitive games involving Celtic has ended in a draw.
Domestically, Atletico have started poorly; winning just one point from two league games and not finding the net in either match.
Birmingham City v Sporting Braga
Sporting Braga reached the final of the Europa League last season, but scored only 11 goals in their 15 Europa League and Champions League games in 2010/11.
Birmingham City striker Chris Wood comes in to this match having scored five goals in his last three appearances for the Blues, including a hat-trick in their 3-0 league win over Millwall last Sunday.
The Blues will become the sixth English team to have played in the second tier and Europe in the same season.
Excluding qualifiers, Birmingham City have won 10 and drawn two of their home games in European competition.
Sporting Braga have started the 2011/12 season with three wins and three draws in all competitions.
Braga have lost just one of their last five games against English opposition, winning three - but that defeat was a 0-6 loss at Arsenal in 2010/11.
Fulham v FC Twente
This will be the ninth game that Fulham have played in Europe already this season after they entered in the first qualifying round.
Fulham have won their last nine European matches at Craven Cottage (including qualifiers), conceding only four goals in the process.
In fact, Fulham have never lost a European match at home in any competition (16 games).
New Fulham striker Bryan Ruiz failed to register a shot on target in four Europa League appearances (296 minutes) for his former side FC Twente in 2010/11.
Twente have lost their last two competitive away games in a row. They haven't lost three away matches on the trot since February 2008.
In the last 17 meetings between English and Dutch sides in Europe (excl. qualifiers), only one has been won by the team from the Netherlands.
