Lee Johnson has warned Hibernian they face a triple threat in Thursday’s Europa Conference League opener in the mountains of Andorra.
The Easter Road outfit travel away first in their second qualifying round against Inter Club d’Escaldes and hope to bring back a lead for the second-leg in the capital on August 3.
They are heavy favourites but Johnson insists his side have a job on their hands to get past the part-timers to set up a third round qualifier against either Djurgårdens of Sweden or Swiss side FC Luzern.
The Hibs boss travelled to the Faroe Islands to watch Inter see off Vikingur with a 3-2 aggregate victory and saw enough to be wary of the dangers posed by the Andorrans, particularly in the Iberian principality this week.
He said: “It was interesting to see them on Thursday. It’s not a given, this game.
“They’re strong, physically strong, very competitive, they’re together, they’re well coached, they’re direct.
“They’re used to having the ball, but I think we’ll end up having the ball. They’re very compact and difficult to break down.
“So, it’ll be an interesting game.
“We need to score the first goal. The first goal is important to bring them out and then potentially we can score again.
“But they waste time well, with the greatest respect, or game-management should I say.
“It’ll be a good game, I’m looking forward to it.
“There’s three things that are probably the main focus for me: the size of the pitch, which is small and tight; it’s the altitude; and then it’s obviously dealing with the heat.
“Those are the three things that we’ve got to get in our minds. Those three factors are going to be tough.
“But then it’s just a normal game of football and we’ve got to do our best to dominate.
“I’ve just got to give them as much information as possible so their mind’s eye has already seen the opposition, if you know what I mean.”
Hibs saw off Andorran opposition the last time they were in Europe in 2021, following up a 3-0 win over Santa Coloma at Easter Road with a 2-1 victory away from home.
The likes of Paul Hanlon, Lewis Stevenson, Jake Doyle-Hayes, Josh Campbell, Dan Mackay and Joe Newell, who was red-carded in the first-leg, should all know what to expect after that match, whilst keeper David Marshall is not short of European experience and new signing Jojo Wollacott is a Ghana internationalist.
Meanwhile, summer recruit Dylan Levitt suffered the embarrassment of a 7-1 aggregate hammering from AZ Alkmaar on the continent with Dundee United 12 months ago.
Johnson added: “There is a risk of a player getting sent-off and they’re the types of things where you’ve got to keep your calm and keep your cool, and you hope our intensity and our quality can win us the game.
“Any experience of Europe is good. Dylan’s obviously had a bad experience last year but they’re all good experiences.
“We’ve got internationals in Jimmy Jeggo, who has been about, Lewis Miller has played for Australia (youths) in big tournaments all over the world. There’s David Marshall and a Ghana international in Jojo Wollacott.
“So, there’s plenty of experience there and it’s about being professional and trying to get ourselves a lead to come back to Easter Road."
