Boss Barry Robson has urged Aberdeen to move on from their play-off heartache and concentrate on shining in the UEFA Conference League.
The Dons’ Europa League group stage dream ended with a 3-1 play-off second leg defeat to BK Hacken at Pittodrie, to crash out 5-3 on aggregate.
Robson says his players were “gutted” at the loss to the Swedish champions.
However he has demanded they shrug off that disappointment as the Dons have the have the consolation of dropping into the group stages of the Conference League.
The Dons are in Group G and will face Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany), PAOK (Greece) and HJK Helsinki (Finland).
Robson insists the Conference League, UEFA’s third tier competition, is s a “brilliant” tournament that will deliver a boost to the club and the Granite City.
It is the first time the Dons have competed in the group stages in Europe since the 2007-08 UEFA Cup.
Robson says it is a “great privilege” to lead Aberdeen into the Euro groups and is ready to make the most of it.
He said: “As a club and a city, being in the Conference League is great for us all.
“It is credit to the fans, players and the staff- all the people in the club.
“It was an effort from everyone in the second half of the season to get this European group stage football.
“To be the Aberdeen manager leading this team into the group stages of Europe is a great privilege for me.
“We are frustrated not to be in the Europa League because we believe we should have been through with the performance we put in over the two legs.
“The players are gutted.
“But I said to them move on, we are in the Conference League now.”
Teams to play in groups
Aberdeen have landed a tough group with German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt who won the Europa League title in 2022.
Greek side PAOK beat Premiership Hearts 6-1 on aggregate in the Conference League play-offs to qualify for the groups.
HJK Helsinki are the Finnish league champions and currently top the table after 21 games in defence of their title.
Robson understands the frustration of Dons’ fans at failing to qualify for the Europa League group stages.
Especially against a club the Dons knocked out of Europe at the Conference League second qualifying round stage two years ago.
He said: “Everyone will be disappointed and asking why are we not through and I understand that.
“But the boys worked hard to achieve Conference League football.
“They were in the dressing room really disappointed with their heads in their hands.
“They know we could have won that and been in the Europa League.
“However the Conference League is a brilliant competition and we are going to be in the group stage for the first time in a long, long time.
“We just went toe-to-toe with a top team and should have beaten them.”
Pride at reaching Euro group stages
Away from the disappointment of the BK Hacken result, Aberdeen are in the group stages of Europe for the first time in 16 years.
Robson takes pride in that achievement, particularly after Aberdeen had failed on numerous occasions to reach the groups.
Aberdeen were in Europe for eight successive seasons and the groups still escaped them.
Former midfielder Robson was an Aberdeen player in the 2014/15 season when the Dons beat Dutch side Groningen 2-1 on aggregate.
That win booked a Europa League third qualifying round clash with Spanish club Real Sociedad.
Aberdeen lost 2-0 in Spain before losing 3-2 at Pittodrie to the La Liga club.
Watch the best of the action as Aberdeen are eliminated from the Europa League after a play-off defeat against Sweden's Hacken.#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/cmNKmOgYxZ
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) August 31, 2023
He said: “I was a first-team coach here and we got knocked out by Burnley, Sporting Lisbon and Real Sociedad.
“Against Sociedad at Pittodrie, we were outstanding as we were in so many of the ties.
“I always felt we were really unfortunate in Europe.
“We always got a huge hitter.
“We got Burnley away and we were so unlucky in that game.
“I remember sitting in the draws and thinking: ‘Yes, what a great draw but then you look at the team and think what a challenge we face.’
“I think Derek (McInnes, former Aberdeen manager) deserved to make the group stages with the performances we put in across some of those qualifiers.
“We were unfortunate and didn’t get a lot of luck.
“We are just glad this team and group have done so well.
“When we came in the first aim was to try and stop conceding goals and now here we are looking at the group stages in Europe, which is great.”
Robson to make changes against Hibs
Aberdeen must quickly regroup for the Premiership clash with Hibs at Pittodrie on Sunday.
Robson admits he will make changes to his team after the demands of the BK Hacken clash.
He said: “You saw what the Hacken game took out of us at St Mirren (2-2 draw).
“So that was a learning curve in terms of what we need to do.
“If you don’t freshen things up you leave yourself open to injuries and can’t play that fast, aggressive way we want to play.
“Players understand it, we know it – so it’s about being as good as we can in every game.
“We have tried to double up in most positions where we can and build a squad that has value in it at the same time.
“It’s still a work in progress.”
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