Craig Levein believes Aberdeen have played in Europe often enough to know how to avoid a European hangover this Sunday.
Hearts travel to Pittodrie to kick off their Ladbrokes Premiership season a day later than was originally schedule.
That's due to Aberdeen’s second leg of the second round Europa League qualifying tie against Chikhura Sachkhere of Georgia last night.
The Dons ran out 5-0 winners thanks mainly to a Sam Cosgrove hat-trick, taking the aggregate score to 6-1 after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
Clubs have been known to struggle on their return to league business following a midweek European tie. But Levein says that Aberdeen’s recent experience in the competition means they should know how to handle it.
“I think it’s difficult for clubs who don’t know what it’s about,” he explained. “If you get in to Europe for one or two years, then it’s all new to you. The traveling and the extra fatigue that causes.
“But once you’ve done it as many times as Aberdeen have recently, then they will know what they’re facing and know what to expect.
“Derek will know whether he needs to change some players to freshen things up because he’s been very successful in that regard.
“So I don’t expect Aberdeen to be in any way weakened by their European exploits.
“It’s a tough place to go but I long ago stopped worrying about the fixture list. There’s nothing we can do about it.
“We’ve prepared for the Aberdeen game as well as we can and going up there to see if we can get three points is the game plan.”
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