AEK Larnaca v Aberdeen lowdown: Form guide, key players, team news
The latest as the Dons step up their preparations for their Uefa Conference League trip to Cyprus on Thursday.
Aberdeen will be hoping to show they are quick learners when they head to Cyprus this week to face AEK Larnaca in their third game of the Uefa Conference League.
Having been mauled 6-0 in AEK Athens two weeks ago, Jimmy Thelin’s side face another hugely testing evening against a Larnaca side who have maximum points from their two league phase matches.
The Dons, meanwhile, need to find something different after being exposed in ruthless fashion in their last outing in Greece.
The manner of the defeat was a sobering dose of reality for everyone at Pittodrie and it’s not a stretch to suggest this week’s challenge will be just as testing for Thelin’s side.
Form
Dons fans of a nervous disposition should perhaps look away now.
AEK have been excellent so far, building on their 4-0 rout of AZ Alkmaar in the opening league game by travelling to London and beating Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park two weeks ago.
Domestically, it’s been a good week for Imanol Idiakez’s side, too ,with the Spaniard having guided AEK to Cypriot Super Cup glory in a 5-4 penalty shootout victory against Pafos following a 1-1 draw in midweek.
Larnaca followed that result by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Apollon Limassol on Sunday.
AEK are fifth in the Cypriot First Division, five points behind leaders Omonoia after nine matches.
For Aberdeen, it’s all about trying to regain some momentum following their last European trip.
The Dons had the look of a team still suffering a European hangover on their return to Aberdeen against Hibernian as the visitors ran out deserved 2-1 winners at Pittodrie.
However, Aberdeen rebuilt some confidence with a gritty 1-0 win in midweek at Kilmarnock.
As painful as the Athens trip was, it’s three wins in the last four league games for Thelin’s side.
Key players
Swedish midfielder Marcus Rohden is the man who makes AEK Larnaca tick.
A former Elfsborg player, who left his homeland to join FC Crotone in Serie A in 2019, the 34-year-old playmaker is one of several vastly experienced members of the Larnaca engine room.
A central midfielder who can play the holding role or as an attacker, the right-footed Rohden is an all-action box-to-box player who the Dons will have to keep an eye on at AEK Arena on Thursday.
Rohden, who missed the start of the season due to a knee injury, has quickly found his form for his club, scoring two goals and contributing three assists in 12 appearances.
One of the biggest issues for the Dons in their recent two defeats was how the midfield was exposed.
But a tactical tweak by Thelin at Rugby Park saw Stuart Armstrong move into an advanced role for his side to great effect.
He scored his first goal since joining the club in September and linked up well with Jesper Karlsson and Marko Lazetic, while supporting captain Graeme Shinnie and Dante Polvara behind him.
Given the reported strength of the AEK Larnaca midfield, Aberdeen’s ability to keep the ball and stop the home side in this department will be crucial on Thursday.
Predicted line-up
AEK Larnaca (4-2-3-1) – Alomerovic, Gnali, Milicevic, Roberge, Saborit, Pons, Ledes, Miramon, Rohden, Ivanovic, Bajic.
Yerson Chacon has been withdrawn from AEK Larnaca’s Uefa Conference League squad following the ACL injury he suffered in the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace two weeks ago.
The Venezuelan has been replaced by fit-again captain Angel Garcia, who has recovered from a muscle injury to rejoin the squad.
The 32-year-old defender’s return to the squad is timely as AEK deal with a growing injury list.
In addition to Chacon, Larnaca will also be without Kevin Comar, Christodoulos Thomas and Youssef Amin for the visit of the Dons this week.
ABERDEEN (3-4-2-1) – Mitov, Devlin, Milne, Knoester, Jensen, Polvara, Shinnie, Gyamfi, Armstrong, Karlsson, Lazetic.
The Dons are waiting to discover whether Emmanuel Gyamfi has recovered from the hamstring strain which has seen him miss the last three games.
If Gyamfi returns then Alexander Jensen is expected to revert to his right wing-back role, despite a promising debut from Dylan Lobban in last week’s win at Kilmarnock.
The other big call for Thelin is whether to stick with Marko Lazetic, who led the line at Killie, for the trip to Cyprus or recall Kevin Nisbet, who came off the bench at Rugby Park.
[Source: Press and Journal]
