'Heavy', 'high-intensity': Mats Knoester on the training which has Aberdeen ready for Thursday-Sunday Europe demands
After lifting the Scottish Cup in May, the Dons are guaranteed Continental league action in either the Europa League or Conference League this season, to be decided by a late-August Europa League play-off tie.
Several Scottish sides have struggled to balance extended European football with domestic commitments in recent campaigns – not least Barry Robson's Aberdeen when they competed in the Conference League group stage in 2023.
Robson's Reds performed admirably against the likes of Eintract Frankfurt and PAOK, but suffered a dreadful league season alongside their Conference League efforts which ultimately cost Robson his job after the Euro matches came to an end.
However, Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin – whose side rounded off their pre-season preparations with a 3-1 defeat to English Championship Ipswich Town at Pittodrie on Friday – have done the hard yards to ensure they can cope with their game-load in the months ahead.
Knoester said: 'That's what we did a lot in pre-season – train under really heavy circumstances, a lot of high-intensity metres, so we really trained on that.
'We did everything we can to be ready for that (the schedule with European action).'
Before their European adventure begins, Aberdeen will start their Premiership campaign next Monday with a tough trip to Tynecastle to face Hearts.
Knoester – who signed for the Reds in January – has yet to experience the Gorgie venue, where the Dons have not won since 2017.
Aberdeen did, however, beat Hearts at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semi-final on their way to lifting the trophy.
Centre-half Knoester is not concerning himself with Aberdeen's long-standing Tynecastle hoodoo, and while he echoes manager Thelin's mantra of taking things one game at a time, he does expect Hearts to rival the Reds this term.
Knoester said: 'The last few years, they're a good team. A big team as well. I think it's going to be an exciting game. It's not going to be an easy game away.
'Always the first game in the season is interesting to see how the teams are after the pre-season.
'I think we're aware that it's a tough game, away at Hearts.
'But I also think the past doesn't really matter.
'If I can go back to Celtic in Hampden (in the cup final) – we don't have a really good record against Celtic and then you win the game.
'In football, I don't think you should go too much back to the past, and then look forward.
'If we look a bit further, I think they (Hearts) are also one of the competitors.
'I prefer to just go week by week, but, of course, as Aberdeen, you're one of the bigger teams, and Hearts is that as well.
'So, in that way, I think we should compete with each other. '
In defeat to Ipswich on Friday, Aberdeen were exposed on three occasions by the relegated English Premier League outfit.
While Knoester thinks the Dons' experimentation with a 'bit more extreme' high line designed to 'create pressure on them and take a bit more risk' was partly to blame for the increased spaces the Reds' backline struggled to cover, he also thinks Thelin's team can learn from their English pre-season visitors.
He said: 'I think that was the goal, to have some big opponents, like Fulham and now Ipswich as well, especially going into Europe as well – we have a tough season coming.
'So I think if you want to improve something, you also have to play against the better teams, because they will show you also what's needed to be on that level.
'I think one big thing was consistency. If you see how consistent they are, and if they do make a mistake, they make up for it – they make a foul or they're back fast enough.
'If there's a rebound, there's somebody who taps it in, and we just miss it. Stuff like that – I think we can learn from that.
'You're one that sets a standard for yourself.'
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