With Liverpool set to take on Hoffenheim in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tonight, we picked out 10 interesting pre-match facts with the help of club statistician Ged Rea.

This is the first ever meeting between the two clubs. Hoffenheim will be the 126th different opponent Liverpool have faced in European competition.

In 40 games against German opposition, Liverpool have won 19, drawn 14 and lost on seven occasions.

The Reds have played 16 times in Champions League qualifiers, winning 12, drawing two and losing two.

When Liverpool have played the first leg away from home in a Champions League qualifier they have won five, with a single draw (at Standard Liege in 2008), and have conceded just twice.

Hoffenheim are the 12th different German team the Reds have faced in Europe, but they have never before met any of them in a qualifier.

Roberto Firmino scored 49 goals for the Bundesliga side in his 153 appearances before moving to Anfield in 2015.

Jürgen Klopp faced Hoffenheim 16 times in his Bundesliga career with Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, winning five, drawing six and losing five. He was unbeaten in his last three visits with BVB.

Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann took over the role in February 2016 aged 28, becoming the youngest manager in Bundesliga history.

Nagelsmann was born on July 23, 1987. He is younger than two members of Liverpool’s first-team squad: James Milner and Ragnar Klavan.

Hoffenheim were unbeaten at home in the Bundesliga last term, keeping nine clean sheets in those 17 fixtures.