Aberdeen’s Europa League play-off opponents have been confirmed as Sweden’s BK Hacken.
The Allsvenskan champions racked up a 5-0 win over Lithuanian title-holders FK Zalgiris in Gothenburg to beat their third qualifying rivals by a handsome 8-1 aggregate scoreline.
They will now meet Barry Robson’s Dons at the Bravida Arena next Thursday, before a return leg at Pittodrie the following Thursday.
The side who win the play-off tie will go into the lucrative Europa League groups – but there is a golden parachute for the losers, as they will drop into the Europa Conference League group stage, which comes with similar, multi-million-pound financial rewards.
Aberdeen’s previous meeting with BK Hacken came in the 2021 Conference League second qualifying round, with the Reds – then managed by Stephen Glass – beating the Swedes 5-1 in the Granite City, before taking their foot off the gas to lose 2-0 away from home.
However, this looks like a much-improved Hacken side.
Still managed by ex-Norway boss Per-Mathias Hogmo, who was newly appointed back in 2021, the Gothenburg outfit won their maiden Allsvenskan crown in 2022 and have earned plaudits for their “Hackenfotboll” attacking style.
They are only a point off the pace in Sweden’s top-flight this year after 19 matches.
In the first leg of their Europa League qualifier against Zalgiris in Vilnius, Srdan Hrstic bagged a double, with Hacken’s star attacking midfielder Mikkel Rygaard also netting.
Hrstic then scored the opener in Thursday’s second leg before Samuel Gustafson scored and Ibrahim Sadiq found the net twice – once from the penalty spot. Hacken’s fifth of the return game was scored by Momodou Sonko in injury time.
What is certain is it is quite fitting Aberdeen will return to Gothenburg next week, 40 years after their iconic 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup final success against Real Madrid in the Swedish city.
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