PSG fingers crossed as Athletic call

Paris Saint-Germain FC take on Athletic Club on the final day needing things to go their way if they are to join their opponents in progressing from UEFA Europa League Group F. • The Bilbao side are already through as group winners, but to join them, PSG must get a better result than FC Salzburg manage at eliminated ŠK Slovan Bratislava, with the Austrian side boasting a better head-to-head record in the event that the sides finish level on points. Previous meetings • Athletic were without a win in the Liga when they met PSG for the first time on matchday two, but they put their domestic woes behind them to win 2-0. First-half goals from Igor Gabilondo (20) and Markel Susaeta (45) were enough to see off a PSG side whose task was made even harder when Mohamed Sissoko was sent off after the break. • PSG's record in 15 games against Spanish side reads W7 D3 L5 (W4 D2 L1 in Paris). Their most momentous meeting with a Liga side was the 1997 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final, which they lost 1-0 against FC Barcelona in Rotterdam, Ronaldo's penalty settling it. • In Athletic's only previous tie against French opponents, they lost out to FC Girondins de Bordeaux in the 1984/85 European Champion Clubs' Cup first round, drawing 0-0 at home after a 3-2 defeat in France. Match background • PSG are on an 18-game unbeaten run in continental competition at the Parc des Princes (11 wins and seven draws) since a 4-2 loss to Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC on 23 November 2006. A 1-0 win against Slovan on matchday four took that run into a sixth year. • Athletic have won both of their Group F away fixtures this season, and are unbeaten in their last four matches on the road in the group stage (a draw and then three wins) since a 3-1 loss at SV Werder Bremen on matchday two of the 2009/10 campaign. Team facts • Athletic winger Markel Susaeta turns 24 on the day of the game and has never before played in a UEFA game on his birthday. • PSG's next goal will be their 100th in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League; this will be their 72nd game in the two competitions. • PSG winger Nenê played in Spain with RCD Mallorca (2003-04), Deportivo Alavés (2004-06) and RC Celta de Vigo (2006-07) before moving to AS Monaco FC. He then spent the 2008/09 season on loan at RCD Espanyol. • Nenê played eight games against Athletic in Spain, scoring once, with the record W3 D3 L2. • Athletic's Mikel San José and PSG's Mohamed Sissoko were team-mates at Liverpool FC from 2007 to 2008, though the former never made a senior appearance for the Reds. • PSG sporting director Leonardo played in Spain for Valencia CF (1991-93), and won each of the three matches that he played against Athletic. • PSG boss Antoine Kombouaré was a defender for FC Nantes, PSG, FC Sion and Aberdeen FC before returning to Paris to lead PSG's reserves. He got the top job in 2009 at Parc des Princes following spells with RC Strasbourg (2003–04) and Valenciennes FC (2005–09). • Athletic's coach is former Argentina defender Marcelo Bielsa, who briefly led Espanyol in Spain in 1998 before taking charge of the Argentina (1998–2004) and Chile (2007–11) national teams. Athletic's 0-0 draw against Trabzonspor A? in the play-offs was his first UEFA club competition fixture.