Killie's 'Unthinkable' Prize Awaits in Copenhagen Clash
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes has declared his side will face Copenhagen with the same fearless mentality they would adopt against Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers, with the "unimaginable" prospect of a £4 million windfall driving their ambition in the UEFA Conference League play-off.
The Ayrshire outfit, considered underdogs in the tie against the Danish giants, take heart from their impressive record against Scotland's top two last season, having secured two wins and a draw against Celtic, alongside a single victory over Rangers.
"We've overcome tougher opponents in the past," McInnes told BBC Scotland. "We've beaten Celtic, we've beaten Rangers, and I see Copenhagen as a team in that same bracket. That's the perspective we're taking into this tie.
"The strategy is to keep things tight. We had some closely contested matches against both Celtic and Rangers last season, and I believe it's both reasonable and sensible to approach this two-legged tie in the same way, aiming to take it back to Rugby Park and give ourselves a real chance."
The home side narrowly edged past Banik Ostrava in the last round, emerging victorious in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 aggregate draw.
Copenhagen, meanwhile, have enjoyed a flawless start to the season, remaining unbeaten across nine matches in all competitions, securing six victories in that time.
Kilmarnock, on the other hand, have tasted victory just once in seven games, but managed to overcome Tromso 3-2 on aggregate in their third qualifying round tie, having dropped down from Europa League qualifying.
McInnes acknowledged that Copenhagen represents "a step up" from the Norwegians, describing the encounter as his "biggest game" as Kilmarnock manager "by some stretch."
"Two-and-a-half years ago, my first game was at Palmerston against Queen of the South in the Championship, so the club has come a long way," he said.
"The rewards for winning would be off the scale. For a club like Kilmarnock, the chance to potentially generate close to £4 million from a single tie is really beyond belief."
McInnes revealed that he had sought advice from Scotland defender Scott McKenna, who was on loan at Copenhagen last season and played under the Killie boss at Aberdeen.
"They've shifted to a more traditional 4-3-3 formation now, instead of the back five that Scott played in," McInnes explained. "We have a good understanding of many of the players he featured alongside, and we were simply seeking confirmation that our scouting had been thorough."
