Aberdeen concluded their UEFA Conference League group stage campaign with a 3-0 defeat at Sparta Prague, leaving the Scottish side second-bottom of their group. The loss capped a disappointing European campaign in which Aberdeen scored just three goals and conceded 14 across six matches.

Sparta Prague Secure Comfortable Victory

Sparta took control early, with John Mercado opening the scoring after an error from Aberdeen goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov. Lukas Haraslin doubled the lead with a powerful finish, before former Newcastle and Hearts forward Garang Kuol completed the scoring after the break following a defensive mistake from Jack Milne.

Aberdeen struggled to create chances, registering their first shot on goal in the 50th minute and failing to record a single effort on target throughout the match.

Aberdeen’s Struggles Across Europe

Aberdeen’s European campaign yielded just two points from six matches, with draws against AEK Larnaca and Noah the only bright spots. While the Dons faced strong opponents like Sparta, Shakhtar, and AEK Athens, the results highlighted a gap in quality compared to the top eight teams in the competition.

Manager Jimmy Thelin acknowledged the challenges of the group stage but emphasized the lessons to be learned:

“We have played now six opponents and five of them are top eight. The quality is there – one mistake and they punish you. The only way to grow is to learn from it and have a strong belief these players will be better next season.”

He added:

“Our goal last season was to go to Europe – we did. We have played the top teams in this group phase and right now we are not at that level. We still have to grow as a club and a team to be more competitive next time.”

Looking Ahead

Aberdeen now turn their attention back to domestic action, facing Celtic in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday. The European experience is expected to provide valuable lessons for both the squad and the management as they aim to improve their competitiveness on the continental stage.

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UEFA Conference League 2025/26 – Aberdeen Results

• Aberdeen 0-0 AEK Larnaca
• Aberdeen 1-1 Noah
• Losses to Sparta Prague, Shakhtar Donetsk, AEK Athens, and Strasbourg

Goals scored: 3 | Goals conceded: 14 | Points: 2