Aberdeen winger Topi Keskinen started against England at Wembley this season – but insists the Scottish Cup final is the BIGGEST game of his career.
The 22-year-old has also won the Finnish Cup with HJK Helsinki, but that pales in comparison with the bid to lift silverware with the Dons.
Aberdeen face treble-chasing Celtic in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden on Saturday.
A 20,000-strong Red Army will travel to the national stadium and Keskinen has vowed the Dons will fight to take the trophy back to the Granite City.
Keskinen said: “I’ve played in some big games, but never in a cup final like this.
“The Scottish Cup final is the biggest and most important game for me.
“It is absolutely massive, and we have so many fans coming down to support us.
“They have travelled in numbers to every single game we have played.
“That’s why we need to show them our fighting spirit in the final.”
An £860,000 signing from HJK Helsinki last summer, Keskinen has broken into the Finland team since moving to Pittodrie.
Cup success with HJK Helskinki
He earned his debut senior cap in a 3-0 Nations League loss to Greece on September 7.
Three days later, he started a 2-0 Nations League loss to England in front of 70,000 fans at Wembley.
Keskinen arrived in the Granite City, having already secured cup success during his time at HJK Helsinki.
He won the Finnish Ligacup in 2023, with HJK Helsinki beating AC Oulu 2-1 in the final.
Ending Aberdeen’s 35-year Scottish Cup drought would have far more significance for the winger, however.
Keskinen said: “I won the cup with HJK Helskini, but it’s a pre-season tournament.
“Usually if you win it, you get bad luck for the league.
“However, we won the league after that cup success as well – but many teams aren’t so lucky.
“That cup is not that big. That’s why I didn’t like the cups in Finland that much, because teams don’t really care about them.
“In Finland if you lose the cup, you’re like: ‘Okay, now we have less games and we can focus on the league.’
“So that’s the mentality there – I don’t really like that.
“I think the cup should be like it is in Scotland, where you really want to win it.
“It’s great to have the experience of these big important games where there is a lot of hype.”
Keskinen on need for attacking edge
Aberdeen go into the final less than two weeks after suffering a heavy 5-1 loss to Celtic at Pittodrie in the Premiership.
The Reds were also hammered 6-0 at Hampden in the League Cup semi-final in November.
Keskinen is under no illusions over the need for Aberdeen to be clinical in front of goal at the national stadium.
He said: “When we get our chances in the final, we need to score.
“It was the same with Helsinki when we played the European games against good teams – if you don’t score, they are going to score.
“When Celtic get chances, they are going to score, usually.
“I like Hampden a lot as the more space, the better for me.
“It is a special feeling playing at that stadium.”
Aberdeen have not won the Scottish Cup since a penalty shoot-out victory over Celtic in the final in 1990.
Support from Family in Finland
The Reds’ previous Scottish Cup final appearance was in 2017 when they were narrowly edged out 2-1 by Celtic.
Keskinen said: “My girlfriend is coming to the final.
“My family and friends are not coming as you can watch the final in Finland – they will all be watching.”
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