Östersund v Hertha background

Östersund's first-season bubble has yet to be burst as they go into a UEFA Europa League meeting with Hertha Berlin two points clear at the top of Group J.

Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time in what is Östersund's maiden encounter with German opponents.

• Hertha have won all three of their previous UEFA encounters against Swedish sides.

Form guide
• Östersund's 2-0 success at Zorya on matchday one was their biggest UEFA away win to date; they have won all three of their previous European home games without conceding.

• Hertha lost their two most recent UEFA away games: 3-1 at Brøndby in 2016 and 4-0 at Benfica in 2010.

• First-time Swedish Cup winners in 2016/17, Östersund have reached the UEFA Europa League group stage in their debut UEFA season, having eliminated Galatasaray, Fola Esch and PAOK.

• Sixth in Germany last term, Hertha got through the UEFA Europa League group stage on their most recent appearance, in 2009/10, but were knocked out in last season's third qualifying round.

Links and trivia
• The journey from Berlin to Ostersund is around 1,200km.

• Hertha's Salomon Kalou was a 2011/12 UEFA Champions League winner with Chelsea.

• This is Hertha's 92nd UEFA game – and Östersund's eighth.

The coaches
• Englishman Graham Potter has helped steer Östersund from the Swedish fourth tier to the UEFA Europa League since taking the reins in 2011. He played in England's lower leagues with teams including Birmingham, Stoke and West Brom.

• Pál Dárdai joined Hertha as a player in 1997 and made a club-record 366 league appearances for Die Alte Dame. He coached Hertha's youth team – and Hungary's senior side – for a time before taking command of the seniors in 2015.