Behind one goal a massive banner was unfurled, stating “Heroes” with a picture of the men who defeated Real Madrid in that European Cup Winners' Cup, while at the other end a tifo display decorated the top tier of the Dick Donald Stand in red and white stripes, while the lower tier highlighted 1983, the year of the club’s greatest triumph. On the pitch, the living legends were paraded as older fans took a trip down memory lane and younger supporters marvelled that there had once been a period in time when their team could humble La Liga’s finest, let alone on a major stage.

For all the euphoric preamble, and the razzamatazz, when this game got under way there were two present day sides with their own pressing European concerns. Third-placed Aberdeen started the day six points ahead of their opponents in the Premiership, and five clear of nearest challengers Hearts in the battle for a top-three finish and near-guaranteed Europa League or Conference League group stage football next term. The fact that they dug in to see out the head-to-head with Hibs 0-0 on such a high octane afternoon, while the Gorgie side could only draw with St Mirren ensured they ended the day with the same advantage.

The result all but rules Hibs out of the running. But the Easter Road side could yet have a massive say in who does wrap up the campaign as best of the rest behind Celtic and Rangers. There is a capital derby scheduled to bring down the curtain on the season but Aberdeen will not want to rely on that. They travel to Tynecastle next week for another do or die encounter, and Pittodrie boss Barry Robson is promising a better performance than his men were able to muster in this one. He said that the occasion had messed with their energy but credited them for digging in to prevent a dominant Easter Road outfit from getting the victory their play merited.

Hibs striker Kevin Nisbet had this 79th-minute penalty saved by Aberdeen goalkeeper Kelle Roos during the 0-0 draw at Pittodrie.

“I think you saw three or four of our players today with hamstring [niggles], that’s the emotion of the game,” said Robson. “We had to make lots of subs. It was difficult but the crowd was fantastic. It’s a matter of pride when you have the Gothenburg Greats there. You feel them breathing on top of you. They were a terrific team and what they will have seen was real guts and determination to keep a clean sheet when we weren’t performing at our best. Listen, we dug in and did well. But we’ll perform miles better than that next week, I’m really confident in that.”

For Hibs, there was disappointment that their superior display was not rewarded with three points. But it was a day when the final pass or shot was not accurate enough and they were denied by the woodwork, a brilliantly-timed challenge by Angus MacDonald and a couple of crucial saves from Kelle Roos, with Elie Youan and Kevin Nisbet the men testing their hosts time after time.

While the Frenchman, who signed a permanent deal this week, was a pivotal performer but couldn’t add the required end product, the Scotland international will be the one rueing his misses. One close range effort came back off the post but it was his 79th minute penalty kick, after VAR spotted a handball that few, if any, on the pitch had seen or claimed for, that proved key as Roos dived to block the shot. That was the moment when Hibs probably realised that it wasn’t going to be their day, which will have been a source of annoyance given how well they dominated the majority of the game.

For all their hosts were lethargic and lacked the zip and the intensity that had driven them up the table under Robson, Hibs were buoyant. They did not have it as easy as they had when the pair last met at Easter Road, when the Leithers ran out 6-0 victors in a match that cost Jim Goodwin his job, but they were able to create and exploit space as full-backs CJ Egan Riley and Lewis Stevenson showed their attacking prowess the entire side played on the front foot, determined to end a season that has stuttered and spluttered at times on a high. Competitive all over the pitch, they kept strike stars Duk and Bojan Miovski quiet, while producing moments to delight further up the park as Youan in particular danced, swivelled and turned defenders as he zeroed in on goal. All that was missing was the telling finish.

Aberdeen fans show off a display to commemorate the Gothenburg Greats.

Having had VAR grievances in the past, technology worked in Hibs’ favour on a couple of occasions, advising referee Nick Walsh to take a second look at the incident that led to the penalty award, when Hayden Coulson handballed Harry McKirdy's volley on its way to rattling off the post. Prior to that, the man studying the action replays, Andrew Dallas, weighed in on the suitable punishment for Josh Campbell who clattered Liam Scales. The home fans were furious that the high challenge only merited a yellow.

But when the final whistle finally sounded after a full seven minutes of added-on time, it was Hibs feeling hard done by. On a day when they showed they deserve to be in the chase for the league’s loftiest spots, that was not reflected in the scoreline. Fourth and possibly fifth place will still give them a shot at European football but those entry tickets do not come with the same guarantees associated with third place, something they will have been contemplating on the bus ride back to the capital.

Hibs' bus back from Aberdeen laden with laments: Why Dons lacked energy, Kevin Nisbet's big moment, Barry Robson's promise