The Dons face a Hibees side at Pittodrie on Saturday that are unbeaten in their last 17 league games
Mats Knoester knows this weekend’s European shootout with Hibs is vital for Aberdeen’s hopes of finishing in third place.
The Dons find themselves three points behind David Gray’s on-form team and are aware they can allow their rivals to get any further ahead going into the final four games of the Premiership campaign.
Aberdeen go into the Pittodrie clash after booking their place in the Scottish Cup final and know that via that or finishing behind the big Glasgow two would guarantee European group stage football next season.
The Dutchman acknowledged: “Yes, we’ve got massive games coming up.
“I think that (Hibs’ game) can be vital in the end. I think every game now (will be) because we’re in the split, so it’s all tied.
“We play against each other.
“So basically, every game is going to be like a cup game now.”
The defender has made an impact since he came in during the January window from Ferencvaros and has helped get the Dons back on track. He has brought more of a defensive security and Thelin’s side have only lost one game in that time.
Knoester admitted: “Yes, the timing has been good. You never know why exactly things change.
“I’m happy that I can play my part and that the results have also been positive. That always helps for your own position as well.”
Aberdeen are currently fifth but it is dog-eat-dog as they go up against those around them in the final five games. The Dons host Hibs and are away to St Mirren and Rangers. They then host Celtic and head to Dundee United in the final Premiership game before the Scottish Cup final against the Hoops on May 24th.
He added: “We haven’t reached anything yet, but we’re still in the race at the end of the season, but so far it’s been good, with ups and downs obviously, but that’s also normal in a season.”
A league split is nothing new to Knoester who experienced something similar last year with AGF in Denmark. He is hoping it ends the same way.
The 26-year-old explained: “Yes, Denmark has it as well. We were third so it could be a bit similar to this season with Aberdeen. They are in the split now as well.”
The prize of European football is massive for Aberdeen. They failed to qualify this season after getting into the group stages in the previous campaign. Knoester would also like to revisit it having got to the knockout stages of the Europa League with the Hungarians back in 2022-23.
The Dons star said: “Yes definitely. It’s one of the biggest platforms in Europe for the club, for players, for everybody.
“Yes, it was a very good experience. In the end, it was a very successful tournament for us as well in the Europa League.
“We survived the winter and we got through. In the end, we got beat by (Bayer) Leverkusen in the last 16.
“The next season, they became champions. So it was also not a shame to lose against them, but still a tough one to take.”
Knoester did his homework on Scottish football and spoke to his former Ferencvaros teammate Stefan Gartenmann on Aberdeen. He came in with his eyes open and that has helped him to adapt to the more physical aspects of the Scottish game.
The ex-Feyenoord graduate stated: “Yes, it’s always difficult to predict, but you hope that everything goes well and I think so far it’s been good.
“I think also before I came here what I thought was true, (it’s) so physical. I learned that in Denmark last season.
“In Holland, it’s not very physical, it’s more on the ball and technical. Here it’s more physical.
“The physical part comes first, so first duels, headers and all that kind of stuff and then the football comes.
“So I think I fit well in the Scottish way of football, yeah.”
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