Helsingborg out to stem Hannover goalrush

Helsingborgs IF will look to end a four-game wait for a European win in UEFA Europa League Group L against a Hannover 96 side who have been scoring at an impressive rate this season.

Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time, and this is Hannover's maiden game against a Swedish side.

• Helsingborg's only experience of German opposition came in the 2000/01 UEFA Champions League group stage when they lost 3-1 at home and drew 0-0 away against FC Bayern München.

• Bundesliga clubs have had the better of the 46 previous ties between sides from the two nations: W25 D10 L11 (W15 D6 L2 at home – W10 D4 L9 in Sweden). Ominously for Helsingborg, the home side has won only one of the last ten of those ties played in Sweden, with the German clubs recording five wins and four draws.

Match background
• Helsingborg are without a win in four European games, though they did arrest a run of three straight defeats with a 2-2 draw at home against FC Twente on matchday two.

• Thwarted in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Club Atlético de Madrid last season, Hannover are unbeaten in Europe this season, and have won five of their six games since entering in the third qualifying round – scoring at least twice in each of them, and averaging over three goals a match.

Team facts
• Helsingborg defender Christoffer Andersson played for Hannover in 2006/07, but made just seven Bundesliga appearances before returning to Helsingborg.

• Fellow defender Erik Edman also played in Germany for Karlsruher SC, while on loan from Torino FC, making eight Bundesliga appearances in 2000.

• Back for a second spell as Helsingborg coach, Åge Hareide represented Molde FK, Manchester City FC and Norwich City FC as a defender, and was capped 50 times by Norway. As a coach, he won domestic titles in Sweden (Helsingborg 1999), Denmark (Brøndby IF 2001/02) and Norway (Rosenborg BK 2003) before leading Norway (2003–08), and resumed command at Helsingborg in June, following stints with Örgryte IS and Viking FK.

• Hannover coach Mirko Slomka played for the club and coached their youth teams before taking charge of the first team in January 2010. He previously enjoyed success in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup group stage, leading FC Schalke 04 from the round of 32 to the semi-finals after replacing Ralf Rangnick as coach following the group phase.

• This is FARE Action Week, with UEFA giving its support to Europe's biggest anti-discrimination campaign. There are activities before each UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League game which will be witnessed by thousands of fans in the stadiums and millions on television. A 30-second RESPECT TV spot and announcements over stadium loudspeakers will encourage fans to join the UEFA family in its call to unite against racism in football. Every team will be accompanied on to the pitch by children wearing Unite Against Racism T-shirts and captains will be asked to wear a Unite Against Racism armband.