Derek McInnes has Georgia on his mind but you can be sure he’ll also have a glance towards the Europa League third qualifying round draw today.
The Dons have been included among the non-seeds in Group 4 for today’s draw, which will be made at 1pm, and there are some cracking big names lying in wait. Whoever Aberdeen land, it is going to be a mighty challenge.
Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven and Swiss side FC Basel are the two big seeds in the other half of the draw that McInnes would hope to avoid should his side get past Georgian outfit Chikhura Sachkhere in the second round.
HNK Rijeka, whom the Dons beat over two legs four years ago, would be a stern test for McInnes, who would have every right to be confident, given how well his team did in 2015. But he might also want to avoid the Croatians.
But at this stage any tie is fraught with danger. With all due respect to Kilmarnock’s conquerors Connah’s Quay Nomads, it is unlikely their European adventure will stretch to the third qualifying round, meaning it is FK Partizan, of Serbia, the club we all know as Partizan Belgrade, who are another potential third-round opponent.
German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, should they beat Flora Tallinn, of Estonia, are also among the seeds.
Portuguese side Vitoria, who qualified by finishing fifth in the Primeira Liga, are also lying in wait should they beat Jeunesse Esch in the second round.
So, there you have it. One of the teams mentioned above will stand between McInnes’ men and a place in the play-off round should the Dons navigate a tricky tie against Chikhura Sachkhere. No matter who Aberdeen get, it’s going to be tough but, as difficult as it will undoubtedly be, the Dons have to put all thoughts of who lies in wait to the back of their minds and focus on the Georgians.
There are threats aplenty to be wary of.
Chikhura Sachkhere qualified for the Europa League after finishing fourth in the Georgia Erovnuli Liga last season and, like Aberdeen’s first-round opponents RoPS Rovaniemi, the team is match sharper after playing 21 games so far in the league since their campaign started in March.
That adds to the degree of difficulty.
But McInnes can take solace in the fact he will have access to as much footage of them in action as his heart desires.
Add in the fact temperatures are going to be touching 35 degrees in Tbilisi on Thursday and it is clear it is going to be a major test of the Dons’ early-season fitness and stamina in the searing heat of Eastern Europe.
Aberdeen have been in this situation before, but for many of McInnes’ new players, this will be a stern early examination not just of their physical prowess but also their mental strength.