Aberdeen could be set for a £5 million Uefa cash boost and European group stage action until mid-December – with potential glamour ties against giants like Liverpool.
However, it all hinges on the Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Inverness Caley Thistle at Hampden on Saturday, June 3.
Aberdeen’s 3-0 win over St Mirren confirmed a third-placed finish in the Premiership and a return to the European stage.
Yet which Euro competition the Dons will enter after the summer remains up in the air – and it will be decided by the outcome of the Hoops and Inverness’ national stadium showdown.
Aberdeen supporters will be cheering on Celtic in the hope the Premiership champions beat Caley Thistle to complete the treble.
Here’s why…
What bearing does the Scottish Cup final have on a potential Aberdeen European group stage adventure?
The Scottish Cup winners receive a slot in the Europa League play-offs, just one two-legged tie away from the lucrative group stages and action in the competition until mid-December.
Should the team who take this Euro berth lose in the Europa League play-offs, there is the security of dropping into the Europa Conference League group stages.
Though the slot goes to the team who lift the trophy at Hampden on June 3, Celtic have already qualified for the Champions League, having won the Premiership title.
So, if the Hoops complete the treble, their Europa League play-off berth will be passed down, under SFA rules, to Aberdeen as the team who finished third in the top-flight.
Should Championship outfit Caley Thistle pull off a shock victory, though, the Highlanders, and not the Dons, will go into the Europa League play-off round.
This turn of events would mean the Reds enter the Conference League at the third qualifying round stage.
Multi-million-pound Uefa payments
Aberdeen face the bizarre situation of the Scottish Cup final being arguably the most important game to them this season – yet they will not kick a ball.
That is because the rewards for securing that Europa League play-off spot berth – and the group stage football in one of the competitions it guarantees – are massive.
Qualifying for the Europa League group stages brings a Uefa prize payment of £3.15 million (€3.63 million).
A win in the Europa League groups is rewarded with a £550,000 (€0.63 million) payment and a draw is £180,000 (€0.21 million).
There is also a split of the coefficient ranking payments, which last season came to £308,000 per club.
A share of the broadcast revenue pool will also secure in excess of £1m.
Lose the Europa League play-off and there is the golden parachute of dropping into the Conference League group stage, which still brings multi-million-pound rewards.
See you in Europe Dandies. COYR! ❤️#StandFree pic.twitter.com/12V9rpLVXC
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) May 24, 2023
Conference League group stage qualification secures a guaranteed £2.55 million.
Each wins pays £430,000, with £140,000 for a draw.
The split of the coefficient ranking payments and broadcast revenue are the same as for the Europa League.
Potential to land giants Liverpool in Europa League groups
Should Aberdeen qualify for the Europa League play-offs they are just one round away from potentially landing Euro giants like Liverpool and AC Milan in their group
Potential play-off opponents are Servette (Switzerland), PAOK (Greece), Slavia Prague (Czechia), Zalgiris Vilnius (Lithuania) and HJK Helsinki (Finland).
Other potential opponents are Flora Tallinn (Estonia), Maccabi Haifa (Israel) and FK Astana (Kazakhstan).
The race for European places in other nations is ongoing, but six-time European champions Liverpool look set for the Europa League group stages.
Aberdeen last faced Liverpool competitively in the 1980-81 European Cup, when suffering a 5-0 aggregate loss to the Anfield club.
Spanish clubs Villareal and Real Betis are set for the group stages.
From the Italian Serie A, Atalanta and Europa League finalists Roma are in the spots to qualify for the groups.
However, seven-time European champions AC Milan are just three points ahead and could yet drop into the Europa League spot.
Fellow Italian side Fiorentina take on West Ham in the final of this year’s Conference League next month.
The will qualify for the group stages of the Europa League next season.
German Bundesliga club Freiburg also look set for the groups.
Duk cam 📹 pic.twitter.com/7KbKBwsldh
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) May 24, 2023
Last season’s Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt will go into the groups, if they defeat RB Leipzig in the final of the German Cup.
The draw for the Europa League play-offs is Monday, August 7, with ties to be played on Thursday, August 24 and Thursday, August 31.
The group stage matches begin on Thursday September 21, and there are further games on October, 5 October 26, November 9, November 30 and December 14 – all Thursdays – with teams playing each other home and away.
What happens if Conference League third qualifying round ends up being Aberdeen’s destination?
Should Inverness Caley Thistle win the Scottish Cup, the Dons will enter the Conference League at the third qualifying round.
The Reds would not be seeded for that draw as a coefficient ranking of between 9.500 and 11.500 is required.
Scotland are currently on 7.280.
Aberdeen could potentially land a rematch with HNK Rijeka in the Conference League qualifiers, having faced the Croatians in qualification for the Europa League in 2015 and 2019.
Other potential opponents are Club Brugge (Belgium), Partizan Belgrade (Serbia), Lech Poznan (Poland), Bodo/Glimt (Norway) and Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel).
The draw for the Conference League third qualifying round is Monday, July 24.
Ties are played on August 10 and August 17, also Thursday nights.
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