Kenny Miller does not need reminding how steep the climb is. His Maccabi Tel Aviv side go into Thursday's Europa League third-qualifying-round return leg against CSKA Sofia three goals down, and the Scottish coach knows there is little margin left for error.
"When you're down 3-0 heading into a return match, it's always a tough challenge," Miller said in comments carried by ONE. "However, it's not an impossible one. We must believe we can overturn this deficit."
The first leg, played in Batumi, Georgia last Thursday because Maccabi are currently unable to host European fixtures on home soil, ended in a chastening 3-0 defeat. Miller's assessment in its immediate aftermath, given to the club's own channels, was blunt: "the tie is far from over, but we have a mountain to climb."
That mountain now has to be climbed at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia, where kick-off is set for 21:00 local time. CSKA Sofia, unbeaten through two rounds of qualifying that included a penalty-shootout win over Qarabag, are facing Israeli opposition for the first time in the club's history.
Miller's message to his players, according to ONE, has centred on learning from the mistakes of the first leg and being ruthless with whatever chances the return offers. Maccabi arrived in this round in form, having eliminated Sheriff Tiraspol 6-0 on aggregate, but were comprehensively outplayed in Georgia.
There was some better news on the injury front, with left-back Roy Revivo in contention to feature after missing the first leg. New arrival Ester Sokler, who had already been introduced to the squad before the trip to Batumi, is also part of Miller's plans for the return.
A win by four clear goals, or any scoreline that overturns the aggregate deficit, would send Maccabi through to the playoff round, where OFI Crete await. Anything less brings a third successive summer of Europa League qualifying elimination into view for the Yellow-and-Blue.
Miller has been at pains to project belief rather than resignation. Whether that translates into a performance capable of matching Thursday's occasion will decide whether Maccabi's European campaign runs into September, or ends in Sofia.
