AZ fortress awaits Austria Wien

AZ Alkmaar will look to maintain their impressive home record in continental competition when they take on FK Austria Wien in Group G on UEFA Europa League matchday three. Previous meetings • The sides are meeting for the first time in UEFA club competition. • In AZ's only previous game against Austrian opponents, they lost 2-0 at SK Sturm Graz in a 2004/05 UEFA Cup group stage game. • Austria Wien's four previous games against Dutch opponents ended W3 D0 L1 (W2 D0 L1 in the Netherlands). That run includes a 1989/90 UEFA Cup first-leg game against AFC Ajax which was abandoned after 104 minutes due to crowd disturbances, with Austria subsequently awarded a 3-0 victory. Match background • While they have now lost two home games (against Everton FC and FC Dynamo Kyiv, both in the group stage of this competition), AZ still boast an impressive European home record of W30 D12 L2. They were unbeaten at home for 30 years in Europe before a 3-2 UEFA Cup group stage loss to Everton on 20 December 2007. • Prior to matchday two's 2-1 win at Malmö FF, Austria had not won in 15 UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage games (three draws and 12 defeats) since winning 2-1 at FC Utrecht in their final fixture of the 2004/05 group stage. Team facts • All three of Austria's group stage goals this season have come before the break – two against Malmö and one in their opening game at home to FC Metalist Kharkiv. • Austria's Dutch attacker Nacer Barazite was the top scorer in UEFA Europa League qualifying this season, scoring eight goals in six appearances. The former Arsenal FC trainee joined Austria in January following loan spells with Derby County FC (2008-09) and Vitesse (2010-11). • AZ's Joey Didulica retired from football ahead of matchday three after struggling with persistent head and neck injuries. The Australian-born goalkeeper joined the club in 2006 following a spell at Austria, where the former Croatian international was a regular for three seasons. He helped his side win the 2005 Austrian cup and a domestic double the following season. • AZ boss Gertjan Verbeek spent most of his playing career as a defender at sc Heerenveen (1984-94) barring a season on loan at Heracles Almelo (1986-87). He has twice coached Heracles (2001-04 and 2009-10) either side of stints in charge of Heerenveen (2004-08) and (very briefly) Feyenoord (2008-09). AZ brought him in at the start of the 2010/11 campaign. • Austria's coach Karl Daxbacher racked up almost 400 league appearances as a player for the club he now manages, winning seven titles and four Austrian Cups, as well as playing in the 1978 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final, which his side lost 4-0 to RSC Anderlecht. He has coached his old side since 2008, winning the Austrian Cup in his first full season in charge.