Boss Stephen Glass has called for Aberdeen to deliver a huge performance in Azerbaijan to take the club closer to the dream of group stage Euro football.
Glass is under is under no illusions as to the enormity of the Europa Conference League play-off clash with Qarabag and wants a shift from his side to match the occasion.
Reeling from a shock exit to lower league Raith Rovers in the League Cup the Dons will jet out to Baku for the club’s biggest European clash in more than a decade.
Glass is determined to return from Azerbaijan with a result to set up second leg cracker at a packed Pittodrie.
Not only do the Dons have to play a Qarabag side that has qualified for the group stages of Europe in each of the last seven seasons they also have to contend with searing heat in excess of 30 degrees, a seven hour flight and a shocking playing surface in Baku.
Glass is confident they can overcome the obstacles to deliver a memorable result.
He said: “It has been 14 years since a game of this size has happened at the club – it is a big, big game.
“It is important we go there on Thursday night and put in a big performance to make sure we bring it back to Pittodrie.
“We have a huge opportunity although I almost don’t want to try and spin it in a positive because losing to Raith was a massive blow for the group.
“We have to bounce back on Thursday, we have to put in a performance because we know what it sets up, a big game at Pittodrie in two weeks time.
“The aim at the start of Europe was to get into the group stage and that continues to be the case.”
Stifling heat, long journey, terrible pitch…
Reward for triumphing in the two legged play-off is qualification for the Conference League group stages and a near £3m prize pot.
Aberdeen have not qualified for the group stages in Europe since 2007.
The Dons set up the play-off clash with a 5-3 aggregate defeat of Icelandic side Breidablik.
Aberdeen are set to jet out to Baku on Tuesday morning on a chartered flight that will take seven hours.
Although the first leg will kick off at 8pm in Azerbaijan (5pm UK time) the temperature is still predicted to be 32 degrees.
Qarabag began their Azerbaijan Premier League campaign at the weekend with a 1-1 draw away to Zira on Sunday.
They also face Sebail at home on Sunday in the top flight.
Such is the poor state of the playing surface at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium Qarabag were even considering sourcing an alternative venue for the first leg clash with the Dons.
However the go ahead for a change in stadium Qarabag would need a UEFA delegate to visit the proposed replacement and submit a report which is too limited a time frame ahead of Thursday’s first leg clash.
Glass said: “It’s a tough task to go over there as there’s an obvious heat and travel factor.
“Qarabag are traditionally a big club however I don’t know if it’s a group that has lost people to Champions League type teams and the investment that goes on there.
“But it will be a step up for them against us and it will probably be a step up for us against them but it’s one we’ll be ready for.
“We have a lot of recovery time and travel coming up.
“However Qarabag are going to have to travel for the second leg as well.
“I think it’s important the players realise that, that we have the advantage of them travelling over for the second leg.
“So if we can look after ourselves on Thursday we think we will have a really good opportunity against a very good team, but not one we are thinking we can’t get through in the tie.”
Glass studying footage of Qarabag
Glass began studying Qarabag in depth following the shock 2-1 League Cup loss to Raith Rovers on Sunday.
The Dons boss, who made seven changes to his starting line up for that cup exit, insists all his focus had been on Raith Rovers.
Aberdeen let a 1-0 half-time advantage slip against Championship side Raith to crash out of the cup at the first time of asking.
It is the first set back of the season for Glass and his reconstructed squad.
He said: “I’ve got four games downloaded to my laptop and I’ll start digging into that now because we had everything focused on Raith, there was no-one taking their eye off them.
“We have time to prepare how we will tackle the Qarabag game.”
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