Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes says his side cannot afford to slip up with the tie being played over just one leg.

"We want to make sure we dominate the ball. We have to make sure we bring everything tonight," he tells Sportsound.

"We were keen to get two strikers on the pitch - Curtis might not have 90 minutes in him.

"Runavik are a good side, a possession-based team in their own league, but we want to make the game quick and intense.

"Whether you're an underdog or you're favourites, you have to make sure your attitude is spot on. Discipline has to be spot on - we don't have a second opportunity, it's cup football.

"We have to make sure we're harder working, professional and have the motivation to get into the next round."

There's a wee bit of debate in the Sportsound studio about whether Motherwell are playing three or four at the back.

This is how we think they might line-up...all will be revealed in a few minutes.

Scott Mullen
BBC Scotland at Fir Park

Fir Park may be pretty much empty to look at, but the home side are about to turn up the noise. We've just been told fake crowd noise will be getting cranked through the stadium's public address system.Hope the man at the controls has a good trigger finger for all the goals flying in - in Motherwell's 30 European games, they've never had a 0-0.

Image source, SNS

Motherwell qualified for the Europa League for first time in six years by finishing third in a Scottish Premiership season cut short by Covid-19.

To reach the second qualifying round, they will have to improve on a record of no wins home or away in five ties since beating Norwegians Aulesund before losing to Denmark's Odense in the play-off round in 2010.

The last time they played another side from the British Isles was the season previous to that, when they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat by Welsh side Llanelli before sparing their blushes with a 3-0 home win.

Glentoran, who finished fifth in the NIFL Premiership but qualified after beating Ballymena United 2-1 in their national cup final, have failed to negotiate two rounds of European competition since reaching the Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals in 1973-74.

It's been a turbulent start to the season for Aberdeen.

They lost their opening fixture to rivals Rangers and then eight of their players had to self isolate, with two contracting Covid-19 following a breach of protocols at a bar.

They're actions were condemned by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, with their fixtures against St Johnstone, Hamilton Academical and Celtic postponed.

But, since their return, they have earned six points out of six. Their victories over St Johnstone and Livingston were not the prettiest, but that should not take away from their importance.

Willie Miller
Former Scotland defender on BBC Sportsound

NSI Runavik head coach Glenn Stahl doesn't seem particularly optimistic ahead of tonight's Europa League qualifying tie at Pittodrie.

"Aberdeen have to play the worst game ever and we have to play the best game of our lives, but let's go for that," he said.

"Will it be extremely tough? Yes. Will it be impossible? No. Much stranger things have happened in the world and on the football pitch."

Image source, SNS

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson is philosophical about losing David Turnbull to Celtic.

"David's got him a thorughly deserved win to Celtic and I wish him all the best, but we must concentrate on Motherwell tonight," he tells BBC Radio Scotland.

"We lose our best players every year and have been prepared for his departure for weeks. And it must remember that we finished third last season without him.

"I don't think we are far away and tonight could kick-start our season. Glentoran have some highly talented boys and we must match their motivation."

Mick McDermott's Glentoran arrive with only one competitive game under their belts - and that wasn't exactly impressive. They relied on a single Robbie McDaid goal to edge out Faroe Islands visitors HB Torshavn in the previous round.

Stephen Robinson's hosts are looking to end a run of six games without a win - five of them this season.

It is the first time the Lanarkshire side have faced Northern Irish opposition, while Glentoran have lost all three of their previous ties with Scottish sides - Partick Thistle, Rangers and Dundee United.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland

The Uefa flag fluttering in the gentle breeze on what is a very pleasant night in Aberdeen.

I have experienced a lot of great European nights at Pittodrie. Tonight's already stands out as it will be the first I have attended where the fans have been unable to get in.

These are indeed strange times.

Image source, me

Image source, Getty Images

Aberdeen's Faroe Islands opponents have won their league championship just once and currently sit in fourth place after 17 games of this season's campaign.

Ruvavik are the sixth club to be managed by Glenn Stahl, who has previous experience in the Swedish and Norwegian lower divisions.

Their preferred formation is 3-5-2, operating similarly to English Premier League sides Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United.

Ruvavik's danger men are the two strikers. Klaemint Olsen is the league's all-time top scorer and netted against Spain in a Euro 2020 qualifier last year. Petur Knudsen is their top scorer so far this season.

Image source, SNS

Glentoran's Burundi international, Gael Bigirimana, is familiar with the surroundings at Fir Park, the former Coventry City and Newcastle United having spent two years with Motherwell as well as having a spell with Premiership rivals Hibernian.

Also recruited this summer, Northern Ireland defender Luke McCullough arrived from Tranmere Rovers having previously played for Doncaster Rovers.

Dayle Coleing is another summer addition with international experience, the goalkeeper previously of Europa in his homeland having four caps for Gibraltar.

Fellow new signing Jamie McDonagh, the winger who joined from Derry City, is another with experience in Scottish football having had a season with Greenock Morton.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at Pittodrie Stadium

Qualifying for Europe has become commonplace for Aberdeen in recent years, but reaching the holy grail of the Europa League's lucrative group stage remains an unticked box for manager Derek McInnes.

If he could change all that, there would be the undoubted football benefits, but the financial rewards would be more important than ever given the impact Covid-19 has had on the balance books.

However, the first in a number of hurdles before that comes in the form of Faroese part timers NSI.

Glenn Stahl’s side are 17 games in to their domestic season, Aberdeen are just three matches into theirs, but the quality in the home ranks should be enough to ensure there is no surprise result in the Granite City.

Scott Mullen
BBC Scotland at Fir Park

Image source, SNS

Looking at the team sheet at Fir Park, Stephen Robinson seems to be rolling the dice with his formation.

All season Motherwell have played with four at the back, but we look as if we will see a back three of Declan Gallagher, Bevis Mugabi and Ricki Lamie. Expect Liam Grimshaw and Stephen O'Donnell to be pushed up into the wing back position.

A foot injury means Niall McGinn was "touch and go" in the build-up and the winger has to settle for a place on the Aberdeen bench.

Midfielder Dylan McGeouch is given his first start of the season, while striker Curtis Main also comes in.

Andrew Considine returns from suspension, but Funso Ojo is banned after his red card against Rijeka last season and fellow midfielder Craig Bryson misses out with a calf strain.

Shay Logan, Ash Taylor and Ryan Hedges drop out of the team that beat Livingston at the weekend.

Image source, SNS

Glentoran are unchanged from the side that defeated HB 1-0 in the preliminary round.

As mentioned earlier, Motherwell show changes from the side that lost their derby 1-0 at home to Hamilton Academical, with Liam Polworth replacing the departed David Turnbull in midfield and Chris Long being handed the chance to prove the missing link for goals up front in place of Jordan White.

That means Sherwin Seedorf has shaken off a knock to keep his place in midfield.

Scott Mullen
BBC Scotland at Fir Park

While Motherwell fans will be mourning the departure of David Turnbull, his departure for Celtic is a lucrative one.

The Fir Park club will be £3.25m richer when all the terms of his deal are ticked off. But his sale is not the only one of recent times. Part of manager Stephen Robinson's remit at Motherwell is to bring through players to sell on and, during his tenure, Motherwell have raked in more than £7m in transfer and sell-on fees including Turnbull, Cedric Kipre, James Scott, Ben Heneghan and Jake Hastie.

For a club with no benefactor, it is evidence that the model for the debt-free club is working.

Image source, PA Media

Barry Town United fell at the preliminary round stage, thumped 5-1 as Runavik set up a trip to Aberdeen, while Derry City were edged out 3-2 after extra-time away to Riteriai in Lithuania last night.

But seven more British Isles teams take to the field tonight with a chance to reach a second-round draw where Connah's Quay Nomads, Dundalk, Linfield, Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur will join the competition.

Celtic, of course, now await in the round after that having dropped down from the Champions League.

Aberdeen v NSI Runavik (Faroe Islands)

Fehervar (Hungary) v Bohemians

Maribor (Slovenia) v Coleraine

Motherwell v Glentoran

Shamrock Rovers v Ilves (Finland)

The New Saints v Zilina (Slovakia)

Valletta (Malta) v Bala Town