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Maiden win the target for Twente

Draw specialists of the UEFA Europa League, FC Twente play host to Group L back markers Helsingborgs IF harbouring ambitions of signing off with a matchday six victory.

Dušan Tadić and Twente have missed out on the round of 32
Dušan Tadić and Twente have missed out on the round of 32 ©Getty Images

FC Twente will look to sign off from the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League with a first Group L win as they take on bottom-placed Helsingborgs IF in Enschede.

Group L permutations
Hannover 96 are through and need a point to win the group.

Levante UD are through and will win the group if they beat Hannover.

Twente and Helsingborg are out.

Previous meetings
• The sides drew 2-2 in Sweden when they met for the first time on matchday two. On their 100th appearance in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League, it looked like there would be little to cheer for Twente as Nikola Djurdić finished twice from close range before the interval for the hosts. However, goals in the last 20 minutes from Rasmus Bengtsson and Douglas broke home hearts.

• Twente's record in five matches against Swedish clubs is W2 D1 L2 (W2 D0 L0 at home – W0 D1 L2 in Sweden). Those two home games both produced substantial victories: 5-1 against IFK Göteborg in the UEFA Cup in September 1980, and 3-1 against Kalmar FF in the 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup.

• Helsingborg's five games against Dutch sides stand at W1 D1 L3 (W1 D1 L1 at home – W0 D0 L2 in the Netherlands). Those away losses (2-0 at PSV Eindhoven and 5-3 at sc Heerenveen) are their heaviest on their travels in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League.

Match background 
• Twente are without a goal in their last three group stage games – a 3-0 defeat followed by two goalless draws. Twente and Tottenham Hotspur FC are the draw experts in this season's group stage, with four ties apiece.

• Swedish champions in 2012, Helsingborg have lost their last three European away games.

• Rosenborg BK and Twente are the only sides who have battled their way to the group stage from the first qualifying round. However, neither will make it to the round of 32.

• This is Twente's fourth campaign in the group stage of the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League, with all three of their previous efforts having ended in qualification for the round of 32.

Team facts
• This is Helsingborg's 50th UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League game; their previous 49 ended W16 D16 L17.

• Sander Boschker of FC Twente became the oldest player to appear in the UEFA Europa League, at 42 years 33 days, when he turned out against Hannover (ousting Rangers FC's David Weir from top spot).

• Helsingborg's Dutch midfielder Rachid Bouaouzan played alongside Twente's Peter Wisgerhof while on loan at NEC Nijmegen in the 2008/09 season. He and Denny Landzaat were also team-mates at Wigan Athletic FC in the 2007/08 campaign. Bouaouzan started his career at Sparta Rotterdam.

• Twente defender Roberto Rosales and Helsingborg counterpart Erlend Hanstveit were team-mates at KRC Genk in 2009/10.

• Twente boast Swedish talent in the form of Rasmus Bengtsson, who started his career at Trelleborgs FF, moving to the Netherlands in 2010 after a season at Hertha BSC Berlin.

• Twente coach Steve McClaren started his second spell in charge at the club in January, having won the 2009/10 Eredivisie title in his first stint before joining VfL Wolfsburg. A midfielder in the English lower leagues, he assisted Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United FC, then coached Middlesbrough FC – leading them to 2004 League Cup glory and the 2005/06 UEFA Cup final – before embarking on a short-lived spell as England manager.

• 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, 2003) before leading Norway (2003–08). He resumed command at Helsingborg in June, following stints with Örgryte IS and Viking FK.

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