Birmingham City: Chris Hughton says Europa League trip to Maribor is a "bit of the unknown"

Sep 29 2011 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

Birmingham City take a journey into the unknown tonight hoping to kick-start their Europa League campaign.

Chris Hughton’s men meet Slovenian league leaders Maribor, who are taking the competition seriously and have rotated their side accordingly in recent weeks.

And they are targeting this evening’s Group H fixture (6pm) as one to win.

“It’s our first away game in the group and I think it’s quite exciting for the lads,” said Hughton.

“I’ve not been to Maribor before and I can’t imagine too many of the players have either.

“So there is that and it is also going a little bit into the unknown.

"They have changed their team over the last few games. We don’t have a clear indication of what their team will be. We know which team played against Glasgow Rangers and of course went through in the play-off, and the one that played against Bruges, in their first group game.

“And I think it will probably be more likely to be somewhere near those sides rather than the one they put out in the league on Sunday.

“So that’s another thing we will have to deal with and react to once we are out there and the game starts.”

Maribor surprisingly lost 2-0 at home at the weekend but rested some of their regulars and held back others who have been nursing niggles.

Blues, without injured duo Curtis Davies and Stephen Carr, have to make enforced changes at Maribor’s People’s Garden stadium. Maribor lost 2-0 in Bruges, Blues went down 3-1 at St Andrew’s to group favourites SC Braga.

“Away, you always want to get something from the game,’’ said Hughton.

“But the approach has to be one of some caution.

“They are the home team, with the advantage that brings, and it will be nigh on a full stadium.

“So the onus is on them more to get a result. And probably with the quality in this group, Bruges and Braga, they might look at it that this is their opportunity to get home points.

“So we have got to be mindful of that but we have got to be a threat ourselves.”

Blues have been quite open on their travels this season and against Braga took a while to get going and exact pressure on the Portuguese.