Summer signing Richard Jensen is determined to secure silverware glory with Aberdeen this season.
Finland international centre-back Jensen has yet to taste trophy glory in his career.
Jensen’s best cup run to date was reaching the semi-final of the KNVB Cup in the Netherlands in 2017.
He reached the last four stage of the Dutch tournament with FC Twente, beating Euro giants Ajax on the route to the semi.
However FC Twente lost the semi 4-0 and playing in a final, and winning a trophy, is an ambition Jensen is driven to achieve.
He hopes to take a step closer to realising that cup dream by overcoming Ross County in the Viaplay Cup quarter-final in Dingwall tonight.
Despite beating the Staggies 4-0 on Premiership duty on Sunday the defender is taking nothing for granted.
He said: “It will be tough for us but it is a really good step to take towards some silverware this season.
“It is a great opportunity for all the teams still in the cup.
“Everyone wants to get there to Hampden.
“I reached the semi-final (of KNVB Cup) with FC Twente in 2017-18 – it has been a while.
“We beat Ajax which was a good one (December 2017, 1-1 then 6-5 on penalties in the round of 16)
“Unfortunately in the semi-final we lost 4-0 to AZ Alkmaar.
“I hope to get further with Aberdeen this season.
“It would be a great opportunity for me as well.”
‘We showed the team we can be and shall be’
Jensen was secured on a three-year contract this summer from Polish side Gornik Zabrze for an undisclosed fee, understood to be £400,000.
The Finnish international was one of 13 new signings secured by boss Barry Robson in an overhaul of the squad in the transfer window.
However that new-look side suffered a disappointing start to the campaign.
The emphatic defeat of Ross County at the weekend was the Dons’ first Premiership win of the season, at the sixth attempt.
Jensen is confident the performances against Ross County and in the 2-1 Europa Conference League group loss at Eintractht Frankfurt offer a vision of the real Aberdeen.
He offered an intriguing analogy of the Dons’ form being like a ketchup bottle – you keep tapping it and nothing happens, then it all comes at once.
Jensen explained: “That win was needed and we are really happy about the performance and the three points.
“I think we showed the team we can be and shall be.
“We have shown that we can perform but it was just that last step, that last bit of effectiveness had been missing.
“It all came together on Sunday with a good clean sheet and four goals.
“We have to keep the machinery going.
“It is like the ketchup bottle effect.
“Nothing comes out, and then suddenly”, the defender explained, tapping an imaginary bottle, “everything comes out.”
“We just need to make sure we keep on performing and are ready for the cup game against Ross County.
“It will be a different game from Sunday, a very tough one.
“We need to be focused and just as effective if we are to get a result.
“It is a challenge but one we are up for.”
Confidence of keeping a clean sheet
Aberdeen had failed to secure a clean sheet for eight consecutive games across all competitions prior to facing Ross County.
The back three against the Staggies were all summer signings – Jensen, Stefan Gartenmann and Slobodan Rubezic.
The game against Ross County was only the third time that back-line had played together.
The 27-year-old said: “We can take a great deal of confidence from that as we showed we can keep a clean sheet.
“We can be effective, as we should be.
“Everyone is really happy about that.
“We need to realise it is going to be a completely different game against Ross County.
“And we need to be very sharp if we want to win.”
Germany the catalyst for revival
Aberdeen emerged with many plaudits following their performance in the Europa Conference League group opener against Eintracht Frankfurt.
The German Bundesliga club are one of the favourites to win the tournament.
However the Dons pushed the 2022 Europa League champions hard.
Asked if the performance in Germany was a catalyst for an upturn in form, Jensen said: “Maybe.
“But time also brings us together.
“We have had a little more time to work on our dynamics.
“It was a good match against Frankfurt and we really gave everything we had.
“We showed we are a very difficult side to beat, even for a team like Frankfurt.
“Maybe that gave us some confidence going into Sunday.
“And then it all came together.”
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