Liverpool

• This is the 19th season that Liverpool have competed in the European Cup, but it is their first campaign in five years, with last season's second-place finish in the Premier League enough to secure automatic qualification.
• Liverpool won the competition in 2005 after overcoming AC Milan in the final, but lost out to the same opponents in the 2006/07 season. They were last in the group stages in the 2009/10 season, but finished third in their group before reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League.
• The Reds have faced Bulgarian opposition eight times in total, winning six times in the process, but they did lose 1-0 to Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia at Anfield in 2005.
• Liverpool will be without summer signings Emre Can and Lazar Markovic through suspension, while Daniel Sturridge remains on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

PFC Ludogorets Razgrad

• Ludogorets arrive into the match unbeaten in their last four matches, including a 2-1 win away at Botev Plovdiv on Friday night in Bulgaria.
• The Eagles had never played in the top flight until the arrival in 2010 of Kiril Domuschiev, a wealthy businessman. With his investment, they gained promotion to the top flight in 2011 and have since won three successive A League titles.
• Ludogorets beat PSV Eindhoven and Lazio in last season’s Europa League.
• The visitors will be without their first-choice goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov through suspension. As a result, Georgi Argilashki is expected to come into the XI.