Athletic Bilbao vs. Lokomotiv Moskva UEFA Europa League preview
Athletic Club welcome Lokomotiv Moskva to Bilbao looking to overturn a 2-1 deficit and set up a date with AFC Ajax or Manchester United FC in the UEFA Europa League round of 16.
Iker Muniain (36) gave the visitors a deserved lead in Moscow, but the Railwaymen hit back strongly in the second half. Denis Glushakov equalised from the penalty spot (61) after a foul on Felipe Caicedo, who then grabbed the winner with a well-taken finish (71).
The sides have been paired for the first time in UEFA competition.
Athletic’s only experience of Russian opposition prior to this season came in the 1973/74 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup first round, when they drew 0-0 at FC Torpedo Moskva before winning the home leg 2-0.
Lokomotiv’s record in 13 games against Spanish teams reads W2 D3 L8 (W0 D1 L4 in Spain).
A 4-2 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain FC in their final group stage fixture ended Athletic’s six-game unbeaten run in this season’s UEFA Europa League.
Athletic are unbeaten in five European home fixtures − two wins and three draws − since a 3-0 loss to SV Werder Bremen in the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League group stage.
The Bilbao side have reached the round of 32 for the third time since the advent of the UEFA Cup group stage; they lost to FK Austria Wien in 2004/05 and RSC Anderlecht in 2009/10.
Lokomotiv have scored three times in each of their most recent away games − a 3-1 win at AEK Athens FC and a 5-3 defeat by Anderlecht, the highest-scoring game in the group stage.
The Railwaymen have not survived the winter break in a UEFA competition since 2005/06, when Sevilla FC knocked them out of the UEFA Cup round of 32.
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