Matty Kennedy: 'Prospect of facing Sporting Lisbon a huge motivation for Aberdeen'

Aberdeen winger Matty Kennedy admits the prospect of facing Sporting Lisbon is a major source of motivation ahead of their trip to Norway.

A trip to the Portuguese capital awaits the winners of Thursday's Europa League tie between Viking Stavanger and the Dons.

Aberdeen comfortably qualified for the second qualifying round with a 6-0 victory over NSI Runavik of the Faroe Islands and Kennedy savoured his European debut.

Thursday's tie represents a major jump in levels though.

Like the Dons, who have won five matches in a row, Viking go into the game in good form. The Norwegians are unbeaten in five league games and won their third in a row on Saturday when they beat Kristiansund 5-3.

Kennedy told his club's official website: "The manager was showing us clips of the opposition and they will have good players, they are in Europe for a reason, we will need to be on our game.

"We all want to play against Sporting Lisbon, we all know how big a club they are.

"We need to concentrate on the first game and hopefully we will get there.

"Playing in Europe was one of the reasons why I came to Aberdeen. I really enjoyed the game against Runavik which was my debut in Europe, I can't wait to play the next game, if the gaffer picks me."

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