Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne wants manager Derek McInnes to restore the club’s reputation in Europe next season.
The Dons report back for training on June 12 as they prepare for the first Europa League qualifier on July 3.
Having lost 8-1 to Sigma Olomouc in their last outing in 2009 the Aberdeen chairman hopes his Reds can enjoy a good run in Europe next term.
He said: “We want to re-establish Aberdeen in Europe. The qualifying rounds can be a bit of a lottery and with three qualifying rounds to tackle I am sure Derek and the players will be determined to make it through to the final qualifying round.
“Derek has work to do on his squad in the summer and it is a pity we’ve lost that two weeks in terms of our preparation. I know a lot of work has been done already on the background in terms of players moving on and new deals being done, and bringing new players in will be the next order of business.
“We have a fantastic management team in place, a very strong squad and the changes which will be made will further strengthen the squad. As an Aberdeen supporter there is a lot to look forward to next season.”
The Dons ended a 19-year wait for a trophy when they won the League Cup in March and Milne is confident his manager can bring even more success to the club.
The Dons chairman is pleased with the strides being taken by the club but knows there is still room for improvement.
He said: “It has been a year of real progress.
“There couldn’t have been a worse way to finish the season on Sunday. Having won the League Cup and reached the semi-final of the Scottish Cup there was a real belief we could finish second but a couple of bad mistakes from the referee and linesman led to absolute devastation among the manager, players and supporters.
“It’s how we respond to these setbacks which has been tremendous, though, and I am confident we will take a lot out of the final two minutes of Sunday’s game.
“The supporters can clearly see the efforts of the team and the bond is beginning to develop. Hopefully, we can see that again next year.
“We’ve got to hit the ground running with a stronger squad than we had this season.”