Listen : Aberdeen defender Andy Considine ruled out until after Christmas
Dons centre-back has undergone surgery
Last updated 27th Aug 2021
Aberdeen have been rocked by the news that defender Andrew Considine is out until after Christmas after having surgery on his cruciate.
The 34-year-old Scotland international suffered a knee injury in the first leg of the Europa League conference play-off against Qarabag in Baku last week and had an operation on Wednesday morning.
Manager Stephen Glass has issued an update ahead of the return game at Pittodrie on Thursday, where the Dons trail 1-0.
As well as the chance to play European group-stage football, qualifying through to the group stages will also bring financial rewards to the Pittodrie club and sums of £2.5million upwards have been reported.
Glass, whose side beat BK Hacken and Breidablik in previous qualifiers, insists all the attention is on getting past Qarabag.
He said: "That's what professionals do, you plan and prepare for the here and now.
"We can control what happens in the game tomorrow night, that is the sole focus.
"Anything that happens off the back of a win or getting through is what happens but professionals prepare for the 90 minutes, you try to win a game.
"We are excited and looking forward to it. I think it is going to be a special occasion.
"When we started preparing for the Hacken game, we didn't talk about this game but we were hopeful that we were going into this situation.
"We were hopeful going away to Azerbaijan that we would still be in a position to win the game which we are.
"We know what is at stake for the club, we know what the future holds if we get through and it is something the club has been desperate for, for a number of years and we will do everything we can to get there.''
Glass also confirmed that Ryan Hedges would be out until after the upcoming international break with a hamstring problem.
Jonny Hayes and Connor McLennan will be given every opportunity to prove their fitness after sustaining knocks against Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday, while Jack MacKenzie is available again after recovering from injury.