Anderlecht aim to drive home advantage

RSC Anderlecht are well placed in Group A with eight points from four games, but a loss at home to NK Dinamo Zagreb on Matchday 5 would threaten their last-32 hopes while also breathing new life into the Croatian side's campaign.

• On 20 November, the UEFA Appeals Body reinstated the three points which was originally deducted from Dinamo's Group A tally by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body following serious crowd disturbances during their Matchday 2 game at FC Timişoara. However, the club will still have to play their final UEFA Europa League home match – against Timişoara on 17 December – behind closed doors.

Previous meetings
• The clubs met for the first time on Matchday 1, with Anderlecht winning 2-0 in Zagreb. This will be Dinamo's first competitive game in Belgium. Anderlecht have hosted two Croatian sides in the past, earning a win and a draw without conceding a goal.

Match background
• Anderlecht are unbeaten in Group A, but they have won only two of their last six home games in UEFA club competition.

• Dinamo have won just one of their last nine European away encounters, overcoming Timişoara 3-0 on Matchday 2. That victory was only their second in 14 UEFA club competition group-stage games on their travels.

Team facts
• Anderlecht coach Ariël Jacobs extended his contract by two years until summer 2012 on Friday 30 October. The 56-year-old, who stepped up from an assistant role to replace Franky Vercauteren in November 2007, said: "I'm very honoured that the club appreciates my work. I hope to continue meeting the high expectations."

• Jacobs has no experience of Croatian opposition, but his assistant Besnik Hasi should be able to compensate for that. The Kosovan-born former Albanian international played for Dinamo's neighbours NK Zagreb and nearby NK Samobor before moving to Belgium to join KRC Genk in 1994.

• Dinamo trainer Krunoslav Jurčić is a former international midfielder, having won 21 caps for Croatia. He spent much of his career with Dinamo but also played abroad for Belgian side KSK Beveren and in Italy for Torino FC and UC Sampdoria.

• Jurčić represented Beveren in the 1995/96 season but the midfielder moved on after the club were relegated at the end of the campaign.

• He also made his final international appearance in Belgium, playing all 90 minutes of a 0-0 draw in September 2000.

• Croatian trio Ivica Mornar, Josip Weber and Luka Peruzović all enjoyed successful spells at Anderlecht, while the club also employed a Croatian coach in Tomislav Ivić from 1980-83. Ivić later led Dinamo Zagreb in the 1986/87 season.

• Dinamo goalkeeper Tomislav Butina played for Anderlecht's Eerste Klasse rivals Club Brugge KV from 2003-06, conceding 22 goals in 33 games as his side took the 2004/05 title.

• Dinamo midfielder Robert Kovač played for FC Bayern München in a 1-1 UEFA Champions League draw at Anderlecht in September 2003.

• SL Benfica are the only side in the UEFA Europa League who have contested more games in Europe than Anderlecht. This will be Anderlecht's 313th UEFA club competition contest, while Benfica are preparing for their 314th.

• Having moved past the 500 mark in goals scored during their 3-1 win against Timişoara, the next goal Anderlecht concede will be the 400th they have shipped in Europe.

• Anderlecht's Group A campaign concludes at AFC Ajax on 17 December. Dinamo host Timişoara on the same night.