Aberdeen face a possible return to the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan in the Europa League after being drawn with either Ordabasy Shymkent or Bosnian club NK Siroki Brijeg in the second qualifying round.
Derek McInnes’ Reds, whose coefficient is 6.785, will host the winners of their Euro rivals’ first qualifying round tie at Pittodrie on Thursday, July 13, with the second leg on July 20.
The Dons manager said: “We will obviously have both legs watched from the first round game and will be treating whoever we get with the utmost respect.
“If it does happen to be a trip to Kazakhstan again, the game will be in Almaty so it won’t be a new experience for us.
“There will be a familiarity about it. Also if it is Ordabasy who we play, it is important to remember that unlike last time when we travelled to play Kairat Almaty, we will not have a domestic game immediately after the long trip so that would be a huge bonus.
“It can’t come soon enough and we are really looking forward to the new season getting underway.
“The main thing between now and then is for us to do our homework so we know everything we need to know about both teams.”
Ordabasy are favourites to progress due to their higher coefficient ranking of 4.050 compared to their opponents Brijeg, whose rating is 3.550.
The Dons visited Kazakhstan two years ago, losing to Kairat Almaty 2-1 and another expensive and time-consuming flight is a possibility for McInnes’ men.
The Dons board sanctioned a £200,000 charter plane for the club’s eight-hour trip to the country in 2015 and will be faced with a similar outlay if the Kazakhs win their first qualifying round tie.
Ordabasy Shymkent are fourth in the Kazakhstan Premier League, just behind the Dons’ past conquerors Kairat, and boast a squad of mostly home players although Argentinian Pablo Fontella, who previously played for Parma, is in their defence.
On the club website Ordabasy state their home stadium does not meet Uefa criteria, meaning they will play their home matches in the city of Almaty which is 400 miles away.
Bosnians Brijeg will be hoping to cause an upset and earn the right to play the Dons.
They boast a stronger European pedigree than their first-round opponents, who have won only one European tie, and have faced Scottish opposition in the past, having been eliminated by Hearts in a Champions League qualifier in 2006 and 39-year-old Brazilian Wagner is their captain.
Aberdeen have reached the Europa League’s third qualifying round three years on the trot.
They defeated Daugava Riga and Groningen before being knocked out by Spanish side Real Socieded.
The following year, McInnes’ Reds beat Macedonian outfit Shkendija and Croatia’s Rijeka before Kairat held the Dons to a 1-1 draw at Pittodrie to eliminate the Reds 3-2 on aggregate.
Last season the Dons made it past Luxembourgish side Fola Esch and Latvia’s Ventspils before being knocked out by NK Maribor.