Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin says competing in the UEFA Youth League will further help the development of the club’s rising stars.
The Dons will compete in Europe’s reformatted premier youth tournament having secured domestic league title glory last season.
Aberdeen’s won the Club Academy Scotland elite under-18 league title to qualify for Europe.
Aberdeen were drawn against Puskás Akadémia FC from Hungary in the Domestic Champions path second round.
The first leg is on October 23 with the following leg November 6, with full fixture details still to be confirmed.
Puskás Akadémia FC’s first team play in the Hungarian top flight and competed in the UEFA Conference League play-off this season, losing out in a penalty shoot-out to Italian club Fiorentina.
The Dons are in the Domestic Champions Path thanks to their league title victory.
They are joined by Celtic who qualify through the UEFA Champions League Path.
The UEFA Youth League is effectively the Champions League of youth football with Europe’s top clubs competing.
The youth teams of giants like Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, AC Milan and Juventus are involved in the Champions League Path.
Thelin said: “The football world is big and it is always good for young players to get some influence from all over the world.
“Every country has their culture and their football.
“When they are away with the team in Europe they will learn and grow from it.
“You have to take that experience and try to do better in the future.
“It is good to get to know different situations and mentalities.
“To take on that information and try to better yourself.”
UEFA Domestic Champions path
As the UEFA Youth League is an under-19 tournament players who helped Aberdeen qualify for the tournament last season but have since graduated from U18 level are eligible for selection.
Teams are split into two paths, the UEFA Champions League and the Domestic Champions .
They are both played separately this year then merge for the knockout phase in 2025.
The UEFA Champions League path consists of the 36 youth teams of the clubs that qualified for the league phase of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League.
The Domestic Champions path, with Aberdeen, includes all 52 domestic youth champions of all UEFA member associations.
In the Domestic Champions path there are three rounds of two-legged ties with Aberdeen entering in the second round.
The ten third-round winners will progress to the round of 32.
Teams involved in this path include Manchester United, Real Betis (Spain), Hoffenheim (Germany), Sassuolo (Italy) and holders Olympiacos (Greece).
Aberdeen U18 and U16 title glory
Recently the SFA published a report that claimed Scottish football is “significantly underachieving its potential” in youth development compared to countries of a similar size.
The report highlights how players under 21-year-old in Scotland are playing fewer minutes in the top flight than in many other countries.
Commissioned by the SFA’s professional game board, the report also highlighted the gap between under-18 and first team football.
The report was compiled after speaking to all 42 SPFL clubs and a working party made up of SPFL and SFA representatives will now consider its findings.
Last season Aberdeen won the Club Academy Scotland league titles at under-18 and under-16 level.
The under-16s completed the league and cup double in a memorable season.
Youth is the ‘base for the future’
Thelin recently secured 16-year-old sensation Fletcher Boyd on a contract until summer 2027.
It is the longest contract permitted because Boyd is under 18.
Boyd was a key part of the under-18 team that won the league title and qualification for the UEFA Youth League.
The teen star netted on his debut in a 4-0 win against Hibs in May to become the club’s youngest ever scorer.
Boyd then scored again three days later in a 5-1 win against Livingston.
Thelin insists the club’s youth academy coaches are giving their all to develop first team stars of the future.
He said: “I see how the coaches work here, how they plan the sessions and how they follow up.
“The energy they give to the players and the players themselves, how they are here every morning and preparing themselves.
“At night it (Cormack Park) is full everywhere with a lot of people here, parents, coaches and that is the base for everything.
“That is the base for the future.
“I like how the coaches go in every night and do the work and the parents support them.
“For me that is the base of the club and a really important thing for the future, for everyone.”
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