Heerenveen eyeing both victory and Berlin

SC Heerenveen need a win and a favour in Berlin to make it to the last 32 as their UEFA Europa League Group D campaign comes to a close with a game against eliminated FK Ventspils.

• Third in the section with an inferior head-to-head record in their games against Hertha BSC Berlin, the Dutch side need a win against Ventspils coupled with a victory for Sporting Clube de Portugal at the Olympiastadion to earn a place in the knockout phase.

Previous meetings
• The teams drew 0-0 in their first meeting on Matchday 2, which also represented Ventspils' first experience of Dutch opposition. Heerenveen's only previous Latvian visitors, SK Liepājas Metalurgs, lost 6-1 in the UEFA Intertoto Cup on 7 July 2001.

Match background
• Latvian champions Ventspils are the first Virsliga side to make it to the group stage of a UEFA club competition. Heerenveen played in four UEFA Cup group stages, qualifying for the round of 32 on their first two attempts (2004/05 and 2005/06) but missing out in the more recent editions (2006/07 and 2008/09). They lost all four of their games in last season's campaign.

• Heerenveen's last five European games at their Abe Lenstra Stadium have produced no wins. They have lost their two previous Group D home fixtures 3-2.

• Ventspils have not won in their last four UEFA club competition away fixtures, but earned plenty of respect as they drew 1-1 at Hertha and Sporting in Group D.

Team facts
• Founded by the merger of FK Venta and FK Nafta in 1997, Ventspils made a surprise change of coach after they reached the UEFA Champions League play-offs. Italian Nunzio Zavattieri – a former AC Milan and FC Internazionale Milano youth coach and one-time assistant at Udinese Calcio – took over from Ukrainian Roman Grygorchuk, who had led them to three consecutive Virsliga titles.

• Heerenveen won their maiden Dutch Cup last term but Norwegian coach Trond Sollied became the first Eredivisie dismissal of the season in August following a poor start to their domestic campaign. He has been replaced by former youth-team trainer Jan de Jonge, with the former FC Groningen, Heerenveen and FC Emmen striker to remain in charge until the winter break, when his position will be reviewed.