As the Dons prepare to take on AEK Larnaca tomorrow, Jimmy Thelin made it clear that he wants to see that his side has learnt the lessons from the previous European game in Athens.

“There are a lot of good teams in Europe, and at this level, sometimes we can’t always play exactly how we want because of that. But we must adapt during the game and find a way to take something from the it and don’t let it run away like we did in Athens.

“Football is a game of tactics and strategy, but it’s also this in-the-middle balance on the pitch that we see in the training sessions now. It was a big learning point for many of us, and we can see now that we feel much, much better.

“In these games, as a footballer and as a team, you always have to take it game by game, but the trick is to always get in with the same energy throughout the game. That’s the thing we have to grow into, and we are on this journey right now. Tomorrow, we show our fans that travel here to watch us, that we will have learned something. We’re going to give everything we can to win.

“We have had a bad start to the season, but the team has pushed all the time. All the time, we have never stopped. We are working hard, never down. We to find a balance inside the team. In the league, we have won three of the four last games, and get more and more stable.

“Now we are in Europe again, and we have to take it step by step. We have still things to improve. We have still a way to go and we have to learn quick. We look forward to the challenge tomorrow. When you go to play a team you don’t know so well, tactical discipline is so, so important. Don’t get stressed when sometimes the game doesn’t go exactly the way you want. Don’t give away the game. Stay in the game and try to find a way to win. That’s so important.

“I said it already this season, the best way to learn is to try to be in Europe every year. Then you’re going to be more prepared and you’re going to manage it better. You’re going to cope with it better. It’s so important for us that we can show tomorrow a different kind of ability. To play a little bit more in a calmer way. Take the game from minute one. Don’t give the game away. Try to stay in and try to find a way to win.

“You have to understand that the football world is playing against a lot of good teams. You have to be super concentrated and give everything you have in yourself. Support your teammates and help your teammates. Also have this calmness on the pitch, how we keep the ball, protect the ball. How we manage the game when we’re under pressure. Sometimes it’s better to do one thing instead of stretch the game. It’s important to be in this context, to live it. But experience is one thing. The key thing is to learn from your experience.”

AEK Larnaca have maximum points from two games against AZ Alkmaar and Crystal Palace, but the Aberdeen boss is not dauted by the trip to Cyprus.

“They have done well, and they are a good team. We know it will be a big test. But we want to qualify for the next stage. Nothing is impossible. There are still points there to take to give us a chance to qualify. That’s our aim and that’s what we need to focus on tomorrow.

“It’s going to be a really tough game, but you have to believe and you have to try and make a really good performance to give yourself the chance to win. Tomorrow is a different kind of game. We’re playing a different kind of style. We’ve put a lot of focus on our own balance and how we behave as a team. The behaviour aspect of the game and how we help each other. I hope we can see that.”

Reporting on the make up of the squad, Jimmy noted the return of Emmanuel Gyamfi.

“Emmanuel is available for the squad to make some impact, but not the full game. We’re in a really tight schedule, after the international break, I think it’s 12 games in six weeks, so we need everyone to play, but also to be careful with him, because he had two different kind of injuries in a quite short time, so we need to build him up and take it step by step. But it’s good that he can be here and help us.”

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