Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes expects Maribor to park the bus in Thursday’s Europa League second leg.
The Slovenians departed Pittodrie with a crucial away goal in Thursday’s 1-1 draw, with Jonny Hayes cancelling out Milivoje Novakovic’s opener.
With a 0-0 draw enough for Maribor to progress, McInnes expects the Purples to play in a similar fashion to Thursday’s performance when they were content to sit back and defend for large parts, while trying to catch the Dons on the counterattack.
The Aberdeen manager knows it will be difficult for his side to break down a well-organised defence – but he feels his men can get the away goal they need.
He said: “The scoreline will probably make Maribor play the same way.
“They are very confident and compact with their shape. They don’t lose many goals but they will remember what they faced at Pittodrie.
“They will be aware we can get to them and the plan is to do that. They tend to defend deep and we took advantage of that on Thursday. They don’t lose many goals and they have a maturity to see the game out as it stands.
“I don’t expect them to be too expansive. They haven’t been that sort of team any time I have watched them.”
McInnes accepts his side goes into the return leg as underdogs but believes Darko Milanic’s players will know they are in for another difficult encounter.
He added: “It might have to be our best European performance yet to go through.
“We scored three goals in Rijeka and two in Groningen, so it can be done.
“We might not have as many chances in Slovenia but we know we can get at them. If we can show our quality on a few occasions in the game, one goal might be enough for us.
“That would change the dynamic of the tie, if we score. Maribor won’t come out because 1-1 suits them.
“They’re a confident, mature team. They’ll be relaxed because they’re are at their happiest when they don’t have the ball.
“They keep the opposition at arm’s length. We had to overcome that in the first leg and we did.
“My players know we can do it. Even if Maribor score, nothing will change for us, we still need that goal.
“We’ll carry enough attacking threat, that’s for sure.”
