WE’LL DEAL WITH HEAT
I loved Dons fans singing my name but job’s not done
From Back Page knows they still face a tough challenge to finish the job.
Apollon’s Tsirion Stadium doesn’t meet UEFA standards so the tie has been switched to the AEK Arena 40 miles away in Larnaca.
But a passionate, sellout crowd is still expected at a venue where Cork City wilted in the heat and humidity when they went down 1-0 to AEK in Cyprus in the last qualifying round.
McInnes said: “It will be a different environment for us, the temperature, the home support. I don’t think any two games are the same.
“We have to try to negate the qualities of Apollon. They’ve some good players.
“We just have to focus on producing a level of performance that can get us a result. It will be a more technical game potentially. But we are confident we can get a result.”
Ryan Christie, who netted the Dons’ first goal at Pittodrie, said: “It’s a different game over there.
“You have to deal with the heat and we have to accept having less of the ball and to play more of the game without possession.
“That means we have to be very switched on tactically. What is important though is the fact we have something to hold on to over there which is a bit different to last week, when we knew we had to go out and score.
“Tactically we will have to be switched on and will have to work as a team. The heat will be a factor but it’s not a factor we’re overly worried about because of how well we dealt with it last week.
“Our fitness is very high and we’ve trained well for a month. I would like to think our fitness is as good as anyone at this stage of the competition.”
Skipper Graeme Shinnie said: “Some of the results we’ve had on the road have been very good. We know they’re a good side and it will be tough but we know what we can do.
“We believe we can score but we don’t have to. We’re in a good position.”