FC Twente v Hannover preview

FC Twente v Hannover preview

Published Sep. 19, 2012 9:16 a.m. ET

FC Twente left-back Robert Schilder believes the club's fans can help inspire the Dutch side to a Europa League victory over Hannover.

Steve McClaren's men looked long odds to even make the group stages when they lost the first leg of their qualifier against Bursaspor 3-1, only for a riotous comeback and 4-1 second-leg home win to send them through.

And after playing his part on that memorable night, Schilder is looking for more of the same.

"What we experienced in the stadium that night was unique," the 26-year-old told his club's official website. "I wonder how it will be on Thursday."

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Schilder only joined Twente in the summer from NAC Breda, but is enjoying being a part of a side challenging for honours at home and abroad.

They have won all five of their league games this season, the most recent of which was a 6-2 drubbing of Willem II, and Schilder added: "It's nice indeed. A good beginning has helped me settle in.

"Also, for example, I scored two goals in the first qualifying round match of the Europa League and that is good. I am very happy, because the level of this team is also very high."

Thursday night's encounter appears to be a well-balanced one on the face of it, with Hannover third in the Bundesliga and still unbeaten this season.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Schilder added. "The atmosphere of a European match is really something special."

Hannover will land in Enschede buoyed by their injury-time 3-2 victory over Werder Bremen at the weekend, and McClaren us unlikely to be pleased to see their coach, Mirko Slomka.

Having left Twente as a title-winning coach in 2010 to join Wolfsburg, the former England boss lost his job when his side were beaten 1-0 by Slomka's Hannover.

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