Aberdeen Aims to Revive European Hopes After First Point in Conference League
After suffering their heaviest European defeat against AEK Athens last month, many Aberdeen supporters may have lost hope for their chances of advancing to the knockout stages of the Conference League.
However, a significantly improved performance at AEK Larnaca on Thursday earned Jimmy Thelin's squad their first European point of the season, keeping their slim hopes of progression alive.
Aberdeen will next host Noah from Armenia and France’s Strasbourg in their upcoming Conference League matches, before concluding the league stage in the Czech Republic against Sparta Prague.
Last season, eight points secured a place in the play-off round, while teams like Celje, Omonia Nicosia, Molde, and TSC advanced with seven points. Scotland’s representatives, Hearts, also gathered seven points but were eliminated due to a lower goal tally than TSC.
So, what does Aberdeen need to do to defy the odds and progress beyond the league stage?
“Hopefully it turns out to be a good point”
Using last season as a benchmark, Aberdeen must secure at least two victories. The match against Noah at Pittodrie is deemed a must-win, while Strasbourg is expected to arrive as the favorites.
The challenging away match against European regulars Sparta in mid-December poses an additional hurdle, especially given Aberdeen's recent struggles to achieve consecutive victories.
Despite these challenges, defender Nicky Devlin remains optimistic, viewing the Cyprus trip as a potential turning point. “Hopefully it turns out to be a really important point for us,” he stated. “It was crucial for us to return to the principles the manager has been emphasizing, especially after our last disappointing away game in Europe. Hopefully, at the end of the league campaign, this will be recognized as a valuable point.”
The magnitude of the challenge ahead for Aberdeen is underscored by the fact that these three Conference League matches are part of a grueling schedule of nine matches in 28 days following the international break. During this period, they must also build momentum domestically, currently sitting ninth in the Premiership with the league's weakest attacking record.
The critical match against Noah follows a game against high-flying Hearts at Pittodrie, while the encounter with Sparta comes just three days before a trip to face Celtic.
Thelin is focused on the present, choosing to emphasize the positives from their point in Cyprus. “We have to start somewhere,” he remarked. “We have achieved four clean sheets in our last six games. We are playing more compactly, supporting each other on the pitch. And after the game, you could see the connection between players and supporters. This unity is vital for Aberdeen.”