Cammy Bell: Conference League qualifier in Copenhagen 'massive' for Killie

Former Kilmarnock goalkeeper Cammy Bell has said their Conference League qualifier against Copenhagen is a “massive game” for the club.

Derek McInnes’ men travel to Denmark on Thursday to take on a side that reached the knock-out stages of the Champions League last season.

But despite going into the game as massive underdogs, Bell, who spent seven years at Rugby Park between 2006 and 2013, believes they have a fighting chance of keeping the tie alive ahead of next week’s second-leg in Ayrshire.

Speaking to STV Sport on Wednesday, he said: “It’s a massive game for the club, there’s no getting away from that. The opportunity to get into European group stage football is huge for Kilmarnock.

“But for the task that lies ahead, FC Copenhagen are a massive team in European football, last season they were in the last-16 of the Champions League, so it just shows you the task that Derek McInnes’ side face over in Denmark tomorrow night.

“The manager has a squad that he believes in, he has players that he wants at the club and I think he has built that over the last two years.

“He’s brought in a number of players that he has previously worked with so he understands them and they understand him.

“There is a real belief about Kilmarnock that the club is going forward, it has been a difficult start to the season, navigating European football which is brand new to them.

“They’ll be looking forward to tomorrow night, it is a huge occasion for them, it’s a massive match for the players and the manager of the club and everyone involved with Kilmarnock Football Club.

“It is such an iconic moment in their history, so they won’t want it to pass them by either.

“They will need to defend well for 90 minutes, I’m sure they will long periods without the ball so they will need full concentration and discipline, everything that you get from a Derek McInnes side.

“When you think about this Kilmarnock side under McInnes, they are all about concentration, they don’t concede many goals and they will need all of that tomorrow night as well as a bit of luck because this is a top European side they are facing.”