Maribor v H. Beer-Sheva: play-off facts and stats

Hapoel Beer-Sheva FC are in sight of a first UEFA Champions League group stage appearance, though NK Maribor will hope to have a say as they look to overturn a 2-1 first leg deficit.

Previous meetings
• Maribor took a tenth-minute lead through captain Marcos Tavares in Israel, but the hosts were soon level via Anthony Nwakaeme and completed the turnaround when Shir Tzedek converted from the penalty spot just before half-time.

• Maribor's record in knockout ties against Israeli clubs reads W1 L1. They lost 3-2 on aggregate to Maccabi Haifa FC in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round (1-2 away, 1-1 home) before beating Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC by the same score, at the same stage, three years later (1-0 home, 2-2 away).

• Hapoel Beer-Sheva have never before encountered Slovenian opposition.

Match background
• Maribor were on a five-match unbeaten run in Europe (W4 D1) before the first leg. They are unbeaten in six European home matches (W4 D2).

• Maribor made it to the play-offs by overcoming HŠK Zrinjski of Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-2 on aggregate in the second qualifying round (2-1 away, 1-1 home) and Iceland's FH Hafnarfjördur in the next round (1-0 home, 1-0 away).

• The Slovenian side are seeking to contest the group stage for a third time, having previously competed in 1999/2000 and 2014/15.

• In 2016/17, Maribor dispatched PFC Levski Sofia and Aberdeen FC before falling to Gabala SC in the UEFA Europa League play-offs.

• Maribor are in the UEFA Champions League after landing a sixth Slovenian title in seven seasons in 2016/17.

• Hapoel have won only two of their last 11 European away games (W2 D3 L6).

• The Israeli side got to these play-offs with an away-goals victory over PFC Ludogorets 1945. They prevailed 2-0 at home yet looked to be heading out when trailing 3-0 in Bulgaria, only for a Mohammad Ghadir goal to prove decisive.

• This is Hapoel's second UEFA Champions League campaign. In 2016/17 they ousted FC Sheriff and Olympiacos FC to make the play-offs, where they went down 5-2 in the first leg at Celtic and bowed out despite a subsequent 2-0 home success.

• Last season, Beer-Sheva went on to reach the UEFA Europa League round of 32, succumbing 3-1 at home and 2-1 away to Beşiktaş JK.

• The Turner Stadium team lifted their fourth Israeli championship in 2016/17 – their second consecutive title.

Team and coach links
• Maribor midfielder Marwan Kabha is the third Israeli to play for Maribor after Sintayehu Sallalich and Dudu Biton.

• Defender Marko Šuler was based in Israel in 2012 with Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC.

• Beer-Sheva midfielders Daniel Einbinder and Maharan Radi played against the victorious Maribor team in both legs of M. Tel-Aviv's third qualifying round defeat of 2014/15.

• Beer-Sheva striker Mohammad Ghadir faced Maribor twice when Maccabi Haifa beat the Slovenian side in 2011/12 qualifying. On the losing side were current Maribor players Tavares, Jasmin Handanović and Aleksander Rajčević; coach Darko Milanič was on the bench during the first of his two managerial stints.

Coach profiles
• Ex-Yugoslavia and Slovenia defender Milanič returned to the Maribor helm in March 2016 and, having won that season's domestic cup, he steered the Purples to the Slovene First League title last term. The 49-year-old had earlier enjoyed a glittering five-year spell in the Maribor dug-out before taking on fresh challenges with SK Sturm Graz and Leeds United AFC.

• The 37-year-old Barak Bakhar is attempting to convert his Midas touch as Beer-Sheva boss into UEFA Champions League qualification, having brought two consecutive Israeli titles to Hapoel in his first two seasons in charge. Bakhar arrived in 2015 after three seasons coaching Hapoel Kiryat Shmona FC, the club he served during the bulk of his playing career as a defender.

Penalty shoot-outs
• Neither Maribor nor Beer-Sheva have been involved in a UEFA penalty shoot-out.