Reds have Conference confidence

JIMMY THELIN insists his Aberdeen side will be going into their Conference League group section with optimism.

- BY SCOTT BURNS

The Dons face a daunting challenge with home games against Shakhtar Donetsk, Noah and Strasbourg and away trips to AEK Athens, AEK Larnaca and Sparta Prague.

But the Pittodrie manager wants his Dons side, who lost out in the Europa League playoff to FCSB in midweek, to go in and give it a real go to try and get through to the knockout rounds.