By Matthew Elder

Copyright scotsman

Aberdeen have been forced into making a change to their Conference League squad on the eve of their opening match against Shakhtar Donetsk following a major injury setback. Defender Kristers Tobers is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury in the 2-0 defeat to Motherwell at Fir Park on Saturday. The Dons say the Latvian centre-back is likely to be out for a “significant part of the season” with club medical staff working closely with specialists to determine the full extent of the injury. Under new UEFA regulations introduced this season, clubs are permitted to replace long-term injured players with one not previously registered in the UEFA squad list. On that basis, Aberdeen have added defender Alfie Dorrington as a replacement for the stricken Tobers after the on-loan Tottenham Hotspur defender was omitted from the original squad list. “We are all hugely disappointed for Kristers, particularly as he had worked so hard to return to the squad last weekend,” said Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin. “Our medical team will provide him with the very best care and support to help him return to full fitness as soon as possible.” Thelin stressed the importance of belief despite the Dons going into the Conference League opener against Shakhtar Donetsk on the back of their worst start to a season this century. The Dons have not scored in their opening six William Hill Premiership games and sit bottom of the table with one point, and also drew a blank in a home defeat by Motherwell in the Premier Sports Cup. They now host a side who sit top of the Ukrainian league without a defeat in seven matches. Shakhtar are also unbeaten in normal time over eight European qualifiers – their only setback came in a Europa League penalty shoot-out against Panathinaikos. Thelin said: “Of course we are optimistic. It will be a tough game, Shakhtar are a really good team, and they have a lot of experience in these games. “But for us, it’s really important now to have belief in our own performance and get another chance to show our fans that we’re on the right track. “For us of course it’s so important to be in Europe, prove ourselves in Europe, and to keep building and getting a good performance.” When asked if the pressure was off because of their domestic form, the Swede said: “I think we should always have belief, and it’s super important to believe in the things you do, and then believe in the team. “We have to be strong in our conviction that we can turn things around, and this is another chance for us to get out on the pitch, get the team going in the right direction and compete, and show everybody that we are a good team, and that every week we are hopefully going to take another step towards performing how we want. “I can only speak for myself, but I always think you should believe in the things we do, and always stay together and take the steps, and never give up, never give in, and always have this focus that you can always improve yourself. “That’s the only way for me to work. We talk about the pressure, but life, and sometimes football, is challenging, you have to find the solutions, and you have to be strong in this moment.” The Dons came closer to a result on Saturday before losing two stoppage-time goals in a 2-0 defeat at Fir Park. “The players try every training session, every game, they go out again,” Thelin said. “The good thing about the Motherwell game is that no player was hiding, they tried to take responsibility, they helped each other, and they pushed for the win. Of course we know the end of the game, but performance-wise it was a step in the right direction. “I see our team is growing, our players are growing, so hopefully we can keep working on this now, believe in our own performance and fight for a good result.”