Hearts and Hibs ranked OUTSIDE Scotland's top four as HJK star has no room for capital clubs in quartet list

HJK star Niko Hamalainen admitted he has Kilmarnock to thank for his footballing breakthrough.

The 26-year-old is back in Scotland looking to cause a Europa Conference League upset in Aberdeen tonight. Hamalainen is no stranger to Scottish football because he had a loan spell at Rugby Park back in 2019-20 and reckons that was where he got his first run of first-team football. Hamalainen admitted: “I enjoyed it a lot. It was my breakout year playing regularly at Kilmarnock. It was good to play in Scotland and it has helped me for sure.”

The left-back believes his spell in Scotland means he knows what to expect from Aberdeen at Pittodrie tonight. Hamalainen reckons that HJK are on a par with the Dons, who are above Hearts and Hibs, and their aim is to make the knockout stages of the Europa Conference League.

The Finnish international admitted: “They look like a physical team. I’ve played against Aberdeen in the past when I was at Kilmarnock and it is the same script. They chase second balls which is how Scottish teams play.

“I think we would be in the top four category with Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen for sure. On paper we are the underdogs but being the underdog in a group with big names means every game you can make a big statement. Our aim is to get out of the group into the round of 16.

“We have confidence as a group. We’re getting close to winning the league in Finland so there is a good aura and confidence in the group which will help when playing teams in Europe.”