Robertson adamant United can oust AEK amid chaotic backdrop

DUNDEE United midfielder Scott Robertson admits he has been struck by the craziness of his first venture into European competition.

But he is adamant that the chaos surrounding his team's Europa League tie with AEK Athens won't affect their performance on the pitch. United arrived in Athens yesterday afternoon still not knowing the exact venue for their match, after problems at the Olympic Stadium caused AEK to seek another venue.

The Greek side were thwarted in several attempts to get a new ground organised, having been set a deadline of 4pm on Tuesday to sign an agreement.

AEK eventually struck a deal with local rivals Panionios to play at their Nea Smyrni ground but fans of the club unhappy at having their neighbours play there stormed the stadium to dig up the pitch and smash the goalposts. The match has since been moved to the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, home of Olympiakos, but no AEK supporters will be allowed in.

Robertson, whose only previous experience of playing in Europe has been in pre-season, admits United's preparation for the encounter has not been as they would have liked but won't be hiding behind any excuses. He said: "There is a lot going on surrounding the venue of the game. But we won't worry about that, we'll just concentrate on the job in hand.

"I won't lie, it hasn't been easy because of all the uncertainty. It has been the craziest thing I've experienced in a build up to a game. I know the fans in Scotland are passionate but this is a whole new level. It's the mentality over there, it seems to be the way things are.

"The fact it won't be at AEK's stadium is not an advantage for us, we've watched them on DVD and that's the only thing we can take. The stadium change won't make a difference. I have never played a competitive game abroad so this is a first for me. I've played pre-season games and friendlies, but never in a competitive match, so this will be a bit of a christening. But playing in this kind of occasion and against players of AEK's calibre can only be a good thing and I'd like to think that it will make me a better player."

United lifted the Scottish Cup last season, so have proved their mettle on the big occasion but it will take an achievement equal to many of United's famous European nights from the past if they are to progress against an AEK side packed with international talent, but Robertson insists they enter the contest with confidence.

He said: "The cup final (against Ross County] was a big pressure because we were favourites, whereas this time we are definitely underdogs. We don't have the same experience as they do and have lost the first game so it's not going to be easy to turn it round. They have loads of European and international experience so all over the park, so to turn this around is going to be a big ask.

"I was up against Nikos Liberopoulos. He was different class, he's played over 60 times for his country and won the European Championships. I won't play against players like that every week - I'd love to - but I think you can only learn from these experiences. I loved it last Thursday, even though we didn't play well. It was a harsh lesson for us because they were excellent but hopefully we can turn that round. It's not over yet."