Del: Sporting will not be any weaker
DEREK McINNES knows Aberdeen will face a tough Europa League challenge whoever Covid-19 stricken Sporting Lisbon field tomorrow night.
The Portuguese have a combination of 10 players and staff, including coach Ruben Amorim, who have so far been impacted by coronavirus and will miss tomorrow’s game in Lisbon.
There is still uncertainty if the match in the Jose Alvalade Stadium will go ahead, especially if there is a further outbreak within the remains of their threadbare squad.
McInnes said: “A club like Sporting are not going to have bad players hanging about. They are going to have a level of player who is pushing the first team, the majority of their first-team players will be involved.
“It might disrupt them but it doesn’t make it any less of a tougher opponent bearing in mind the size of their club.”
Some of Sporting’s first team are already out of the qualifer and there has been talk that some of their fringe players or even their B team could take to the field if things get any worse.
McInnes said: “We are expecting the game to be played. They have got a huge squad to choose from. We look forward to it.
“Since the manager has come in they have stuck with the same system so we can probably second guess the system they are going to play but in terms of personal we will not have a clue in terms of the team they will put out.
“We won’t know until the team line comes in.”
Sporting boss Amorim won’t even be at his own stadium tomorrow when his makeshift side face the Dons and is one of three coaching staff missing.
He was hoping to be able to get an exemption to watch the third qualifying round tie but has now decided not to go anywhere near the stadium and will have to rely on assistant Emanuel Ferro to take charge of his side.