Leighton Clarkson warns Rangers he signed for Aberdeen to win cup finals as Euro lessons have them Hampden ready

Viaplay Cup-seeking Leighton Clarkson admitted weeks like this are the reason he signed for Aberdeen on a permanent basis.

The Dons have a Hampden showdown with Rangers on Sunday and before that they bring the curtain down on their Europa Conference League campaign at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday. Clarkson was a major player in helping the Dons to clinch their European group stage return and now he has had a taste of that he wants to go one further and to lift silverware with Aberdeen.

The playmaker, who scored the weekend win against Hearts, said: “I like playing at Hampden. It is obviously a really big occasion, big for the fans, the atmosphere is always electric. Playing in these games, that’s the reason I came back to Aberdeen to play in the bigger games. It’s a lot better to win one. Losing is a horrible feeling but when you win it's fantastic and obviously we have the final to look forward to now.”

Before that the focus is on the pending visit of the Bundesliga giants Eintracht Frankfurt. The Dons narrowly lost their opening fixture 2-1 away in Germany. It is likely that manager Barry Robson will do what he did in the last European game away to HJK and rest a number of his key players, with the cup final just days after it.

Eintracht, who have already sealed second spot behind PAOK, travel to Scotland in high spirits after their weekend dismantling of German heavyweights Bayern Munich. Aberdeen can no longer qualify despite having put in some batting displays that have seen them lose just two games, by the odd goal to Eintracht and at home to PAOK.

Clarkson knows that it has been an education, where at this level the slightest mistake gets punished. Now the Dons want to go out with a bang to give their