Derek McInnes challenges Kilmarnock to give Copenhagen their 'biggest nightmare'

Derek McInnes wants Copenhagen to experience their “biggest nightmare” when they face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Thursday.

The Ayrshire side lost 2-0 in the first leg of their Conference League play-off in the Danish capital last week after conceding from a contentious 76th-minute penalty and then a corner in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

McInnes is looking to turn the tie around in front of their home supporters in the second leg by making the night “awful” for the Danish club.

“It’s a significant game, significant fixture,” said the Kilmarnock boss.

“It’s an opportunity for us to try and deliver probably one of the biggest results in the club’s history. I’m quite excited with the fact that we’re getting that chance.

“We were 14 minutes away from an unbelievable result over there, and I thought we did so much right in the game and were encouraged by that.

“But obviously when the referee gets involved, and for me it was a soft penalty, and they go and then they get the second goal in the dying embers of the game, then the task becomes more challenging.

“But it’s a task that we’re willing to take on.

“We have earned the right to take on a team of Copenhagen’s stature, but there’s no doubt we need to try and make it awful for them tomorrow.

“We’ve got to try and make it their biggest nightmare.

“We’ve got to try to make the game go our way. To do that, we’re going to need to have everybody more or less at full throttle.”

McInnes believes entry into the group stages of the tournament would be “a proper game changer” for the Rugby Park club, who only returned to the top flight in 2022, and he reminded his players of the possible hero status that awaits them.

He said: “I know the players long enough now that I know how important that is to them, and it should be important that we try and deliver what we want.

“We’ve got the potential to be remembered. And it’s important that when you work for a club, you leave your mark on a club, and this is a chance to do that.

“We feel we play against good teams domestically. Rangers and Celtic are two teams that we have beaten, particularly here at Rugby Park in the last calendar year.

“And I would put them above Copenhagen in terms of where they’re at. So we know it can be done.

“We know it’s difficult, but while we’ve got a chance, and it is a chance, it’s important that we try and just deliver a big performance, and to do that, we need players with a good mindset.”

McInnes revealed “few concerns” but definite doubts over Robby McCrorie, Kyle Vassell and Fraser Murray, who all missed the weekend defeat to Aberdeen, but Joe Wright is available after serving a domestic suspension.