Boss Jimmy Thelin has warned Premiership rivals rejuvenated Aberdeen are up for the fight to finish third and land a Euro return.
With only nine league fixtures remaining this season Thelin reckons every Premiership match will have the intensity and pressure of a knock-out cup clash.
Aberdeen currently sit fourth in the Premiership table, one point behind third-placed Hibs.
Fifth-placed Dundee United are a point behind the Reds as the high stakes race for third hots up.
A third-placed Premiership finish could be rewarded with a Europa League second qualifying round slot next season.
Qualification for the Europa League will secure a payment of €4.31m (£3.57m).
Each win in the Europa League secures €450,000 (£379,201) with €150,000 (£126,400) per draw.
‘We will fight and push for third spot’
There is also the safety net of parachuting into the Conference League if exiting out at the Europa League at the qualifying stage.
However. the team that finishes third will have to wait for the outcome of the Scottish Cup final to find out their Euro fate.
That Europa League qualifying spot will go to the Scottish Cup winners if it is not champions-elect Celtic, who are bound for the Champions League qualifiers.
Thelin said: “We will fight and push for that third spot in the league in what will be an intense period of games.
“Although we know we have a lot of things to improve on we are still in the race.
“Every game is going to be like a cup match, so we have to be sharp in the remaining fixtures as it is tight in the table.
“There are many teams around that third spot so we know the competition is tough.
“We have to keep stable and keep working hard for the wins and points we need.”
Aberdeen looked nailed on for European qualification when racing to an 11-game unbeaten start to the Premiership season, with 10 wins.
Thelin targeting Euro qualification
In contrast Hibs suffered a disastrous start to the season and were rooted to the bottom of the table.
When the Dons drew 3-3 with Hibs at Easter Road on November 26, they were 23 points ahead of the Edinburgh club.
Had Aberdeen not conceded an equaliser deep into time added on that would have been a 26-point gap.
Since then, there has been a remarkable turnaround with the Dons suffering a 14-game league winless slump whilst Hibs hit winning form.
Aberdeen have stopped their slide with seven points from the previous four Premiership matches.
Thelin insists their Euro target never altered, even amidst the form crash.
He said: “Nothing has changed from the beginning of the season.
“We’re trying to qualify for Europe next season and that’s what we’re still working for.
“In the long term we are trying to be a stable team in Europe.
“Even when we were on that bad run and struggling, we didn’t lose that direction.
“We still have our eyes on that European position, so these games are so important for everyone.
“That’s what we are aiming for and what we have to work hard for.”
Aberdeen face an away clash against Premiership bottom club St Johnstone on Saturday.
Focused on ending season on a high
The Reds travel to Perth in buoyant mood having won 4-1 against Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup quarter final.
Thelin’s side will face Hearts in the semi-final at Hampden on the weekend of April 19-20.
The Dons boss aims to go into that clash at the national stadium with the Dons in a strong position to finish third.
He said: “There’s a really good mood around the training ground.
“We know this is a very important part of the season in the league.
“Every game now is going to be really important for us to achieve our goals for the season.
“We are trying to achieve something together.”
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