Aberdeen v Real Sociedad: ‘Real won’t go easy’

DEREK McInnes does not expect Real Sociedad to do his Aberdeen team any favours in their Europa League return.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes chats to the media ahead of his side's Europa League tie with Real Sociedad. Picture: SNS

The League Cup winners trail the La Liga giants 2-0 from the third qualifying round first-leg in Spain after David Zurutuza and Sergio Canales gave the Basques a comfortable win.

McInnes knows his side will have to step it up at Pittodrie if they are to turn the tie around - but reckons Sociedad will make his side fight all the way.

He told RedTV: “Here’s hoping [they take their foot off the gas] but I wouldn’t imagine so. We can’t bank on it.

“All we can do is put a bit of doubt in their heads by the way we play.

“I would assume they will come here in a professional manner. They were really up for the game over there and I wouldn’t expect anything different from them.

“If we are to get a result it will be a result of what we do and not what the opposition does.”

A sell-out 20,000 crowd will roar the Dons on in the Granite City clash and McInnes knows his side must score first to have any chance.

“A 2-0 scoreline over there was not a disgrace but we still feel we can do better,” he said.

“It’s half-time in the tie and they have a big advantage. But 2-0 in any game is still a result you are never totally comfortable with if you are winning at half-time.

“The next goal is always important in a 90-minute goal. This will be no different.

“So it’s important that the first goal is an Aberdeen goal. If they score it makes it a massive job for us. But if we can get it, hopefully the momentum change can help us.

“There is still a lot to play for and we are not giving up. We still feel that playing at home with a huge crowd behind us, we can get a positive result that takes us through the tie.”

Team news

McInnes will at least have a near fully-fit squad to choose from ahead of Thursday’s Pittodrie clash.

His only absentee is Clark Robertson, who stepped up his rehabilitation following knee surgery by playing an hour of a friendly with Elgin on Tuesday.

Provisional squad: Langfield, Logan, Reynolds, Anderson, Considine, Hayes, Flood, Robson, McGinn, Jack, Rooney, Pawlett, Smith, Shaughnessy, Low, Taylor, McManus, Wright, Goodwillie, Monakana, Brown.