Buoyant BATE prepare for Dynamo rematch

Recently crowned Belarusian champions for a seventh time, FC BATE Borisov will attempt to end their Group E home campaign on a high when FC Dynamo Kyiv visit Minsk looking to clear their own path to the UEFA Europa League round of 32.

• Victory or a low-scoring draw (0-0 or 1-1) will guarantee top spot in Group E for BATE, who are already sure of a berth in the knockout phase. Dynamo will qualify with a win, while a draw would also suffice providing the game between FC Sheriff and AZ Alkmaar ends in a stalemate as well.

Previous meetings
• Pavel Nekhaychik grabbed a share of the points for BATE when the teams met for the first time on Matchday 1, his strike earning a 2-2 draw in Kyiv. It was both sides' maiden experience against a club from their opponents' nation.

Match background
• Having made their UEFA Champions League group stage debut in 2008/09, BATE made it to the UEFA Europa League group phase for the first time last season, picking up seven points in their six games but failing to reach the round of 32. They will now be playing springtime European football for the first time in their history, and will be the first Belarusian club to do so since independence.

• BATE are unbeaten in six European games – five wins and a draw – and have not lost at home in five continental fixtures since a 2-1 defeat by SL Benfica in last season's group stage.

• Back-to-back Group E successes against AZ have revitalised Dynamo's campaign, which started with that 2-2 draw against BATE and a 2-0 loss at Sheriff.

Team facts
• Dynamo have had more shots on goal than any other outfit in the group stage so far, with their 31 efforts producing six goals.

• Artem Milevskiy was fouled 21 times over the first four matchdays, more than any other player in the group stage.

• Roman Eremenko has provided more assists than any other player in the group stage, setting up four goals.

• BATE's Vitali Rodionov has been penalised for more fouls than any other player in the group stage, committing 15 in total.

• BATE have been the strongest starters in the group stage to date, with four of their ten goals having found the net in the opening 15 minutes of games.

• BATE coach Viktor Goncharenko is still just 33, having become the youngest coach to take charge in a UEFA Champions League group stage fixture when BATE took on Real Madrid CF on 17 September 2008. He was just 31 at the time. A defender whose career was ended by injury at the age of 25, he has been in charge at BATE since the winter of 2007, winning three successive Belarusian titles.

• Valeri Gazzaev resigned as Dynamo coach on Friday 1 October, the day after their 2-0 Group E defeat by Sheriff in Moldova. Assistant coach Oleh Luzhny, the former Dynamo and Arsenal FC defender, has stepped up to replace him on a temporary basis, having previously spent a brief spell in sole command in 2007 following József Szabó's departure.