Aberdeen striker Marko Lazetic relishing challenge of Uefa Conference League ‘group of death’

Striker Marko Lazetic admits he wanted Aberdeen to land the toughest possible draw in the Uefa Conference League to test himself against top clubs.

The former AC Milan attacker’s wishes were granted when the Dons landed AEK Larnaca (Cyprus), Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) AEK Athens (Greece), Noah (Armenia), Strasbourg (France) and Sparta Prague (Czechia).

Aberdeen languish bottom of the Conference League after a 6-0 hammering away to AEK Athens and 3-2 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Dons were taught a Euro lesson in Athens but Lazetic reckons that was brutal proof of the level they must reach, and he aims to get there.

Next up is a daunting clash against in-form AEK Larnaca in Cyprus on Thursday.

AEK Larnaca have a record of two wins from two in the Conference League including an away victory at English FA Cup holders Crystal Palace.

Lazetic wanted to face the top teams

Fired-up Lazetic reckons AEK Larnaca may be better on paper, but it doesn’t mean they will be better on the pitch on Thursday.

The 21-year-old-said: “When they were doing the draw for the Conference League games, I was hoping we’d get the best teams.

“I didn’t want to go in to the Conference League and play easier teams just to win.

“I wanted to play against the best teams and try to compete against them and get a good result against them.

“That’s the level we want to be at, so I feel like playing those games can bring us there.

“I grew up playing in Red Star Belgrade where there is pressure since you start playing at seven-years-old.

“Because it’s a club who cannot lose games, so I love those types of matches.”

The Serbian under-21 international offers proof a team can still qualify from the league phase despite losing the opening two games.

Lazetic’s Uefa Conference League ‘any team is beatable’ message

While on loan at Serbian top flight club FK TSC last season he played in the Conference League.

The striker reached the knock-out phase with FK TSC. despite a return of zero points from the opening two fixtures.

FK TSC lost to Astana (Kazakhstan, 1-0) and Legia Warsaw (Poland, 3-0).

However, they overcame Swiss side Lugano 4-1 at home in the third match to ignite the campaign.

Ultimately, FK TSC finished 24th in the table with a 4-3 win against Noah in the final match to qualify from the league on goal difference with seven points.

FK TSC would lose 6-2 on aggregate in the knock-out phase to Polish side Jagiellonia Białystok.

What did Lazetic learn from that Conference League campaign?

He said: “To be honest, I saw that any team is beatable.

“I feel if a team seems better on paper it doesn’t mean they’re better on the pitch.

“So just go out there and try to beat the better team on the pitch.

“That was shown when we went through from the league stage although we lost against Jagiellonia after that.”

Aberdeen made an attempt to sign Lazetic from AC Milan in January but the deal could not be completed.

Moving on from Athens nightmare

They finally landed the striker on a foul-year deal from the Italian Serie A giants in the summer transfer window.

Lazetic admits European action was a bonus, but he would have signed for the Dons even without continental league action.

He said: “Going to a club that is playing in a European league was a great thing to do.

“However, even without European football, Aberdeen is a great place for me to show my qualities and just excel in my way of playing.”

Aberdeen will attempt to ignite their Conference League campaign in Cyprus at the 8,058 capacity AEK Arena – Georgios Karapatakis.

The Dons were over-ran when losing heavily to AEK Athens in Greece and suffered a Euro hangover when going down 2-1 to Hibs at Pittodrie days later.

However, a 1-0 midweek win against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park ensured Jimmy Thelin’s Dons will make the five-and-a-half hour flight to Cyprus with renewed confidence.

Lazetic said: “The game in Greece is finished, so there’s no point in going back to that.

“In the future, I feel like if we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to get to what we want.

“Every club I have been at has had this type of period where it is maybe not going the way you want it to.

“That is football.

“We have a lot of new players, so you need the time to get the team together.

“But if you just keep working and keep believing in what you’re doing, you’re going to get the reward.

“In every game we play we need to want it more than the other team.

“And when you do that, the good results will follow.”

“Larcana are playing amazing (in the Conference League).

“We will prepare ourselves the best way possible for the game against them.”

Despite losing to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Conference League opener the Dons delivered an impressive performance.

Reproducing Shakhtar levels

The Ukrainians are regulars in the Champions League and have beaten Euro giants Real Madrid in recent years.

In Cyprus Lazetic will target a repeat of the levels shown against Shakhtar.

He said: “Every opponent is different, so you need to prepare for every other opponent differently.

“But Shakhtar was a great game in the way we were running, the way we were attacking.

“And at the end of the game, the way we wanted to get the three points.

“If we do that in games, we’re going to not just win, but do it more easily.”

Aberdeen will be backed by a travelling Red Army in Larnaca.

Lazetic says he was blown away by the passion of their backing in the loss in Greece, and aims to repay their support on Thursday.

He said: “When I saw the fans when we arrived in Greece there were so many of them.

“And in my mind I just wanted to win for them.

“At one moment they were louder than Athens fans, which was really, really hard to do.

“I just love the support so hopefully me and the rest of the boys can just repay back to them on the pitch.”

[Source: Press and Journal]