SL Benfica come up against a Portuguese coach and three former players as they bid to get past FC Zenit and reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals again.
Match background
Zenit
• Defeat on matchday six at KAA Gent prevented the Russian champions from becoming only the sixth club to win all six UEFA Champions League group stage fixtures.
• Nevertheless, André Villas-Boas’s side, who are seeking a first ever appearance in the quarter-finals, finished five points ahead of Gent at the head of Group H.
• At home, Zenit beat Gent 2-1, Olympique Lyonnais 3-1 and Valencia CF 2-0.
• They have never lost at home to visitors from Portugal, their record reading W5 D2 L0.
• In the 2013/14 group stage, Zenit drew 1-1 at home against Porto, Hulk scoring their goal. That came after they also beat FC Paços de Ferreira 4-2 at home (for an 8-3 aggregate victory) in the play-offs.
• Zenit have lost eight and won four of the 12 UEFA competition ties in which they lost the away first leg. However, on the only previous occasion they lost the away first leg 1-0 – against AEL Limassol FC in the 2014/15 third qualifying round – they subsequently won 3-0 at home.
• Zenit have never been involved in a UEFA competition shoot-out.
