Dons set for eight-hour flight delay ahead of crucial Europa League match

Aberdeen players are today facing an eight-hour delay on their flight to Latvia ahead of a crucial Europa League match against FK Ventspils.

The Dons squad were due to depart at 9am but left the airport shortly after 9.30am to return to Pittodrie for a training session.

Organisers remain hopeful that the team will be able to fly out later today.

However, they will now not train as scheduled in the Latvian capital tonight.

Dons boss Derek McInnes said: “There is no drama. We were not going to train at Ventspils stadium anyway due to the logistics with the hotels there.

“Today is just about turning the legs over so the players will get trained at Pittodrie.

“Hopefully we will get away to Latvia this afternoon and will keep our timings exactly as they were as if we were  over there.

“If we can get away from here no later than 2.30pm this afternoon there is no real disruption.”

Bird damage to one of the engines was blamed for the delay with parts due to be sent from Edinburgh.