Thursday night at Tynecastle Park under the lights.

Heart of Midlothian will go in search of the positive result that will all but secure progression into the Conference League knockout stage following wins over Dinamo Minsk and Omonia Nicosia.

Heidenheim are, on paper at least, the most difficult they will face. After all, they finished eighth in the Bundesliga last season. And, if you were to use Opta's Power Rankings as a barometer, they are the 80th-best side in world football.

Of course, on seeing how each team Hearts will face are ranked, it should likely be taken with a pinch of salt, especially considering how average Viktoria Plzen looked over two legs.

It doesn't detract from the fact Neil Critchley's men are very much the underdogs for this encounter, even with home advantage.

Take the last three seasons' worth of European football experience into consideration. Fiorentina and Istanbul Basaksehir won comfortably, almost wiping the floor with Hearts, while PAOK, FC Zurich and Plzen all secured wins even if those games were much more competitive. 

Quite rightly, there is a real sense of anticipation for the encounter, kicking off at a much more fan-friendly 8pm compared to 5.45pm. At the time of writing, fewer than 500 tickets remain on sale. Heidenheim will be backed by around 1,000 supporters travelling from the southwest of Germany.

It could be a historic night in EH11. 

Heading into the game, simulations and projections give Hearts a 95.4 per cent chance of reaching the knockout stage for the first time from a league or group phase. It is widely accepted that seven points are all that is required. Achieving that at Tynecastle against a team from a top-five league would be quite a statement and achievement.

Heidenheim are not the biggest name in Germany. Last season was their first in the Bundesliga and this campaign is their first sojourn into European competition having been playing amateur football in the early to mid-2000s. Since 2007 they've won six promotions to reach the top flight.

After being a success story last season, head coach Frank Schmidt, who has been in charge since 2007 and is nearing 700 games, only lost two key players with Jan-Niklas Beste and Tim Kleindienst joining Benfica and Borussia Monchengladbach for €8million and €7million respectively.

The squad is predominantly German with a couple of Austrians, a Brazilian, a Dane and an American with a core who have been at the club for at least five years. 

They will arrive at Tynecastle Park on a poor run of form domestically. While they have won all four of their European games – all by a single goal – their last seven league fixtures have resulted in just one win after opening the campaign with two victories.

The latest setback saw Holstein Kiel pick up their first win. In four of their last six, they have failed to score.

It will be fascinating to see how Heidenheim approach the fixture. They are odds-on favourites at the bookies but they are not a team who are the protagonists in games.

In terms of formation, they flip between 3-4-2-1 and a 4-2-3-1. Out of possession, they are quite standoffish, not looking to press teams much in the opposing half. When they do win the ball back, however, they are direct and can counter quite effectively. They aren't a team that appear overly comfortable dominating possession with the third-lowest share in the Bundesliga.

Therefore it is important Hearts box smart. What worked against Omonia may not work against Heidenheim.

One thing to be aware of is the threat from set pieces. They are one of the best in the German top flight at creating chances from corners and free-kicks. 

Clearly a good team, Heidenheim don't present the fear factor of previous German sides facing Hearts. In fact, at Tynecastle Park, the record is strong against German/East German clubs.

In the 1976–77 Cup Winners' Cup, Hearts defeated Lokomotive Leipzig 5-1 after losing the away leg 2-0. They would be knocked out in the following round by eventual winners Hamburg, losing both legs. 

Bayern Munich were famously beaten in 1989, the last time Hearts played in continental competition in the new year. The 1-0 win at Tynecastle was followed by an agonising 2-0 loss in Munich. 

There was similar anguish in 2000 when away goals cost Hearts progression in the UEFA Cup. Jim Jefferies' men defeated Stuttgart 3-2 in a captivating clash that kicked off at 9pm due to German TV. However, a combination of the 1-0 loss in Germany in the first leg and Gordon Petric's waywardness in front of goal saw the team exit.

There was, of course, one game that took place away from Tynecastle. Hearts lost 1-0 to Schalke 04 at Murrayfield in the UEFA Cup group stage in 2004.

Fortunately, Hearts are back home on Thursday night. It should be a cracking atmosphere against an opponent that should be respected, not feared. Come 8pm, Hearts could be just 90 minutes away from knockout football.