Aberdeen boss Barry Robson says his players “are loving” the challenge of combining European group stage football with domestic action ahead of PAOK’s visit to Pittodrie on Thursday.
Europa Conference League Group G leaders PAOK have defeated both Finnish champions HJK Helsinki and German Bundesliga giants Eintracht Frankfurt in their two pool matches so far.
The Dons, meanwhile, followed up a tight loss in Frankfurt by claiming their first point of the Continental campaign in a 1-1 draw at home with HJK.
Thursday’s Pittodrie visit from Greek group frontrunners PAOK looks like another match where the Reds will have to take something – possibly all three points – if they are to have a realistic chance of progressing to the Conference League’s knock-out rounds.
However, their tough task against PAOK is only the first fixture of a 17-game, 10-week stretch of matches for Aberdeen between European action, Premiership commitments and next month’s Viaplay Cup semi-final with Hibs at Hampden (and then potential final) before the winter break.
At the weekend, Robson’s team saw their return from the recent international break delayed when Saturday’s league clash with Dundee under the lights was postponed due to the affects of Storm Babet.
But, even an extra few days of respite, the manager insists dealing with hectic periods is “what it takes” if the Dons want to compete for silverware domestically and feature on the European stage.
Robson said: “We have PAOK at home, Kilmarnock away on the Sunday, Motherwell away on the Wednesday (both Premiership) and then we are in the League Cup semi-final, all away from home.
“It is a challenging time, but when you want to play at this level, and you want to play in semi-finals and in the group stages, this is what it takes.
“That is where they (the Dons players) are and they are loving it.
“Is it difficult? Of course it is, but the fans and we all know that.
“We just need to try and support them.”
Robson could give Hearts boss Naismith a call about PAOK
PAOK reached the Conference League group stage via a two-leg qualifying play-off win over the Aberdeen’s Premiership rivals Hearts – defeating the Jambos 4-0 in Thessaloniki after a 2-1 victory in Edinburgh.
The Reds have been doing their own due diligence on their midweek visitors, but boss Robson revealed he may also tap up Tynecastle gaffer Steven Naismith for this reflections on the Greek outfit, saying: “I will maybe give Naisy a call.
“We have done a couple of games live, and I already have two live reports ready to go.
“We try to get ahead of the game.”
‘We will monitor everything and see who is best to play’
Aberdeen built momentum through the period between the prior international window and the one just concluded, going into the recent shutdown on a five-game unbeaten run, and looking more secure defensively – with two clean sheets in their last five domestic encounters.
Robson knows rotation of personnel will be necessary in the weeks and months ahead to continue to pick up results, adding: “We know we have a difficult period coming up.
“What we do as a staff is we try to monitor everything and to see who is best to play here and there.
“There are really difficult games.”
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