Aberdeen defender Nicky Devlin is frustrated Thursday’s final Conference League group game against Eintracht Frankfurt is not a winner-takes-all affair for both clubs.
The Dons complete their European game against the German Bundesliga side with little more than pride at stake.
Barry Robson’s side have lost just one game away from home in Europe this season, the 2-1 defeat in Germany in their opening group game, but have managed just three points from their opening five matches.
PAOK have won the group while Frankfurt have already secured second place, leaving Devlin to ponder what might have been.
The right back said: “We were speaking to some of the boys and the coaching staff the other day and from the playing side it should have been a shootout to see who qualifies against Frankfurt and whoever was to win goes through.
“Ultimately, we have dropped too many points.
“We weren’t clinical enough in some of the games and it has come back to haunt us.”
Devlin left to rue home form
Aberdeen have suffered just two defeats in their group and Devlin believes it is his side’s home form which has ultimately cost them the chance of progressing to the knockout phase.
He said: “The only games we have lost in the European group stages were Frankfurt away and PAOK at home.
“The PAOK one we were in an unbelievable position 2-0 up with 15 minutes to go.
“Frankfurt away we conceded from a set play and lost the game.
“It has been frustrating the way we have not been able to put results together back-to-back.
“We only have ourselves to blame because we shot ourselves in the foot at home a couple of times.
“That is the reason why we are in the position we are in.”
‘We want to finish on a high’
With the League Cup final against Rangers at Hampden looming large on Sunday, Dons boss Barry Robson may be tempted to ring the changes for the final European game on Thursday.
Frankfurt, who beat Bayern Munich 5-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, are also expected to rest some players but Devlin remains determined to end his first European campaign with a win.
He said: “Both teams will still want to win the game.
“We play in a cup final a few days after but regardless who is playing we will all want to stake a claim to be playing in the final.
“We want to finish the group on a high and we don’t want to go through the entire campaign without having won a game.
“I don’t think our performances in Europe deserve that. Our performances have been better than our points’ tally suggests.
“I get that it is only us who can go and change that and hopefully we can do that against Frankfurt.”
Competition for places is fierce
Devlin is also confident whoever is selected will be up to the task against one of the pre-tournament favourites.
He said: “Everyone has now started games.
“You can see from the Helsinki away performance that people are ready to come in and take people’s places.
“The manager mixed it up in Helsinki and it shows that people need to be at their best levels or you will lose your spot.
“There is good competition and it should make people kick on because we all want to play.”
Dons hungry for more European action
The Dons have work to do if they want to secure a return to Europe this season after struggling to juggle the demands of European football with domestic duties.
Aberdeen’s European campaign will end on Thursday but Devlin insists this season’s run in the Conference League has made everyone at Pittodrie hungry for more.
Devlin said: “If it doesn’t whet the appetite to go and do it again next season then you are at the wrong club.
“We have a long way to get to there as we haven’t put ourselves in a good position just now although there is still a long way to go.
“We still believe we can get there but it will take a lot of hard work but we can do it.”
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