Champions League
/ Michael Lintorn / 13 February 2012 / Leave a Comment
Lyon made it this far courtesy of a 7-1 away win against Dinamo Zagreb
The heroes of the group stage have their work cut out prolonging their Champions League adventure away to knockout round veterans Lyon...
This is the first appearance of a Cypriot club in the knockout stage of the Champions League.
APOEL picked up more cards (19 yellows) than any other team who have qualified for the last 16 this season.
The Cypriot champions allowed their opponents more shots on target against them (43) than any of the other teams who made the last 16.
They also had fewer shots than any other side in the group stages of the Champions League this season (38).
Lyon have failed to win any of their last five Champions League knockout stage matches.
APOEL have only once before drawn a French team in European competition (excluding qualifiers) losing home and away to Paris St-Germain in the 1993-94 Cup Winners Cup.
APOEL have only lost one of their last eight Champions League games, but have drawn five of the other seven.
APOEL won their first ever away match in Europe (in 1963), but have lost 25 and drawn nine of the 34 road trips since in all European competitions (excluding qualifiers).
Lyon have failed to score in five of their last seven Champions League matches.
The French side have lost just three of their last 20 Champions League home games, two against Bayern and one versus Real Madrid.
Five of APOEL's six Champions League goals this season have been scored by Brazilians AĆlton Almeida (three) and Gustavo Manduca (two).
Bafetimbi Gomis has scored 56% of Lyon's Champions League goals this term (five out of nine), only three players have posted a higher percentage this season.
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We've lost some big guns already in the Champions League and though the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona undrstandably still head the market, this could provide a great chance for Arsenal to go far in this year's edition....
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