Aberdeen

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• Aberdeen's Stephen Robinson has only lost more Scottish Premiership games as a manager against Celtic (21) and Rangers (20) than he has against Kilmarnock (12), although he has won two of his last three at home against Killie (D1).

• Kilmarnock are the only side without a point in the Scottish Premiership this season, losing all four of their games. The last club to lose each of their first five matches of a campaign in the division were Dundee in 2018-19.

• Aberdeen have lost 15 Scottish Premiership games in 2026, at least two more than any other side, including each of their last three in a row without scoring.

• Kilmarnock have lost nine of their last 10 league trips to Aberdeen, including their last four in a row since a 1-0 victory in December 2023 under Derek McInnes.

• Aberdeen have won four of their last five league meetings with Kilmarnock (L1), this after losing four of their previous five beforehand (W1).

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Aberdeen winger Kenan Bilalovic has joined Slovakian top division side MSK Zilina on a season-long loan.

Bilalovic will spend the rest of the season in Slovakia with the club holding an option to make the deal permanent in the summer.

The 21-year-old Swede has struggled to establish himself at the Dons since arriving at Pittodrie from IFK Värnamo in his homeland on a five-year deal last summer.

He has made 19 appearances for the first team and scored three goals.

On his loan to MSK Zilina, head coach Stepehn Robinson told the Aberdeen club website "Kenan is a talented young player but, at this stage of his development, playing consistently at senior level is really important.

"His exposure to game time here is going to be limited this season and, therefore, this loan presents an excellent opportunity for him to gain regular minutes in a demanding environment.

"We'll continue to monitor his progress closely throughout the season and look forward to seeing how he develops during his time in Slovakia."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Aberdeen captain Kevin Nisbet insists there is no "crisis" at Pittodrie after back-to-back Scottish Premiership defeats to Rangers and Celtic.

They head into Saturday's league visit of bottom club Kilmarnock looking to return to winning ways after last weekend's 1-0 home loss to Rangers and a 3-0 midweek reverse at champions Celtic.

The Dons, who will also play Killie in the quarter-finals of the League Cup the following week, have won one of their opening four leagues.

And Nisbet remains optimistic about what the Dons can achieve this term.

"We have got a lot of quality in there," the striker said.

"We are well drilled, even though we conceded three against Celtic, but in the main we are a well drilled organised side, I think you have seen that over the games.

"For us it is about sticking together now, it is not a crisis because we lost two games. We have got a long season ahead of us so we can't get ourselves down too much.

"It is about focussing on the present now rather than focussing on the past and just trying to get ready for tomorrow."

Nisbet, 29, has an added responsibility this season having been made skipper and has "loved every minute of it".

"Off the park and on the park, every time I walk out for each game it is an honour and a privilege to wear the armband for Aberdeen," he added.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson says it would be "crazy" to judge his new-look side so early in the Scottish Premiership season.

The Dons have been dealt a tough hand in their opening quartet of league fixtures, a sequence that included games against the top three teams from last term – Celtic, Hearts and Rangers.

After beating Hearts in their opening game, the Dons lost at Dundee before sustaining defeats by both halves of the Old Firm.

Speaking before Saturday's league visit of Kilmarnock, Robinson said: "There are very, very few games been played in the season so far, so to be that judgemental that early on is crazy.

"I will judge the team when we are 15 games in and then what we need and where we go from there.

"We have been tested very, very hard early on with the fixture list, with a new group still trying to bond. We weren't quite up to that test if the truth be told, we weren't quite up to it in terms of results, some of the bits were good.

"But, we will get better and better as it goes."

Robinson added the mood in the dressing room remains positive as they look to end a run of three straight league defeats.

"There is still a belief, there has to be a realism as well," he explained. "We have been beaten by Celtic 3-0, we lost to a penalty against Rangers. If you look at the millions and millions that has been spent on those two squads, we haven't had the luxury to do that.

"I am very, very confident in the group we have put together to have a good season."

Aberdeen will be hoping to get back on the victory trail against a Killie side who have lost all four of their opening Premiership games.

And Robinson added: "There is pressure every time you play at home for Aberdeen to win games, you are expected to win so it is no different to any other game for me.

"It is important to win the game whatever way we do it."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Scottish Premiership visit of Kilmarnock. Here are the main themes.

• After losing their past three league games and asked if there is extra pressure going into the game against the bottom club, Robinson said: ''The added pressure is that there is pressure every time you play at home for Aberdeen."

• Following back-to-back defeats by Rangers and Celtic, the Pittodrie boss says "there has to be a realism as well", pointing out the "millions and millions" spent on both Old Firm squads.

• The Dons have played last season's top three in their opening four games, with the head coach admitting: "We have been tested very, very hard early on with the fixture list, with a new group still trying to bond."

• He added: "We weren't quite up to that test if the truth be told in terms of results, some of the bits were good."

• Aberdeen are 10th in the table but Robinson says it is wrong to focus on league positions just now, saying: "There are very, very few games been played in the season so far, so to be that judgemental that early on is crazy."

• And he commented: "I will judge the team when we are 15 games in and then what we need and where we go from there."

• Robinson is "very, very confident in the group we have put together to have a good season".

• He is expecting a tough game against a Killie side he believes have not been getting the results they have deserved.

• Having just signed German Daniel Klein, Robinson says the 25-year-old brings a good level experience to the squad and gives them good options in the goalkeeping department.

• Team news: after missing their midweek trip to Celtic with a knock, defender Dan Happe is a doubt for Saturday.

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Aberdeen have signed German goalkeeper Daniel Klein on a two-year contract.

The 25-year-old was a free agent after leaving Bundesliga side Augsburg this summer and will provide cover and competition for current number one Marius Muller and fellow goalkeeper Nick Suman.

Klein didn't make a single appearance for Augsburg last term and last featured, for their B team, in a competitive game in May 2025.

"It makes the goalkeeping department better," manager Stephen Robinson said of the new arrival.

"It makes it stronger, an experienced goalkeeper with Bundesliga experience as well.

"We have to try and make every department as strong as possible, if we get an injury to Marius then we certainly have a very, very good back up.

"The three goalkeepers now competing for a place means nobody is guaranteed to play."

Klein, who joined the Dons on trial, spent time at Cormack Park last week and is excited to get properly started in the north east.

"I am really happy to be joining Aberdeen," he told club media.

"I had a good trial here last week. The team and the staff were very welcoming, it felt like a big family.

"Training was a good standard, and I enjoyed working with Hinchy, the goalkeeping coach and the other keepers. I am looking forward to pushing Marius every day in training.

"It's the right time to try something new, both professionally and personal. This is going to be a good challenge for me and when the team need me, I will be fully focussed and ready to play."

Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson feels his side's run of early season fixtures "wasn't kind" and came "too early" for his much changed squad. (Press and Journal - subscription required, external)

Friday's Scottish gossip

Aberdeen fans, we asked for your views after Wednesday night's 3-0 defeat to Celtic at Parkhead.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Ian: We have to be realistic, we played Hearts, Rangers and Celtic in three of our first four games. The real test starts now against teams we should competing against.

Andy: Same old, same old. New manager, new team but nothing ever changes. We go to Celtic Park, don't compete and get well beaten. It would have been more had Celtic not taken their foot off the gas in the second half. Dreadful performance.

Kenneth: Poor defending, the wrong formation, the wrong team, tactics were nowhere to be seen. Aberdeen are in freefall and the manager and players are just running around like Bambi. The team are chasing shadows and have got no interest in defending or playing to win.

Graeme: Here we go again. Another manager, another new squad, but the same old lacklustre performances. I said when Stephen Robinson was appointed that he wasn't the man for the job, and nothing has happened to change my mind. At best we'll be a bottom six side again, at worst we'll be the relegation dog fight. Nothing better than that.

David: Tonight [Wednesday] was hardly a shock. The only time we had a plan, for almost a decade, to beat Celtic was in the 2025 cup final. It wasn't pretty, but it worked. Stephen Robinson said we were too passive, well that's on you and your coaching team, as is the ridiculous number of signings, and you want more. Not one of your 13 new players has improved the squad, and let's face it, it was a poor squad.

Jim: Robinson completely got his team wrong. He will need to do far better in the forthcoming games or he will be gone by Christmas.

Watch all the highlights as Celtic scored three first half goals to beat Aberdeen and continue their winning start to the Scottish Premiership. Available to UK users only.

Camilo Duran made it six goals in eight games for Celtic as Martin O'Neill's side continued their unbeaten start to their domestic campaign with a comfortable Scottish Premiership victory at home to Aberdeen.

Read the full match report here

Have your say on the game via this link

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Aberdeen boss Stephen Robinson: "It's been a tough few days.

"I thought we lacked belief in the first half, we were way too passive for the first goal and we got punished by how clinical Celtic were. We hit the crossbar at 2-0 which could change the game, they go up the other end and we make a mistake and the game is effectively over.

"The positive I can take is I got a response second half to an extent. At least we showed a belief that we could play and we could pass.

"Our season won't be defined by that, we won't let it be defined by that. It's up to us to respond on Saturday with a performance.

"By the time we were brave it was too late and we got punished from a clinical side. They beat LASK 3-0 here who are a very good side, much better than us, so we won't be defined by this.

"I think I've got a fair idea [of his best XI]. I've signed 13 players, close to 15/16 that have gone out. There's a lot of change, it was never ever going to be easy, it was never ever going to be without bumps in the road and we've had a few.

"I'd like there to be [more signings] but we've signed 13 players, 10 free transfers, so I don't expect too many more to happen now."

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Having watched Aberdeen v Rangers games at Pittodrie for four decades, it is difficult to remember too many where the home side was quite as standoffish as they were in Sunday's 1-0 defeat.

Rangers arrived in the north-east on Friday, flying straight from the scene of the crime after their insipid Conference League qualifying exit to Jablonec and appeared to be going into the game with little-to-no confidence.

This wasn't actually a bad Aberdeen performance overall, and the way they started suggested they were going to take the game to Derek McInnes' side.

But that didn't materialize. It was conservative as Rangers took control with their new signing Kim Minsu providing a threat the Dons hadn't bargained on, the South Korean making his debut and giving his team a much-needed spark.

Much has been made about decisions going against the hosts and there were one or two shirt pulls that probably should have resulted in bookings for Rangers players but generally, the big decisions were called correctly.

Dan Happe's clumsy challenge on Djeidi Gassama was a penalty every day of the week and it ultimately cost his team the game.

Former Dons' defender Mark Reynolds alongside me in the gantry felt Kevin Nisbet had been impeded by Dujon Sterling up the other end but those appeals were waved away.

When Nisbet headed home what looked like a late equaliser it was brought back for a shove on Sterling, but even if you consider that to be harsh on the Dons' captain, he was offside later in that phase of play anyway.

With the dust settled on that game, Aberdeen go to Celtic Park on Wednesday, a fixture they haven't won in the league in an eye-watering 28 attempts.

September looks to be a seriously challenging month for Stephen Robinson and the shape they are in by the end of it will set the tone for the rest of the club's season.

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Oliver Sorensen could make his Celtic debut against Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday after joining on loan from Parma on Tuesday.

Fellow midfielder Callum McGregor returns after the captain's illness, but striker Kasper Hogh and left-back Kieran Tierney will miss out for one game at least with abductor injuries.

Striker Callum Osmand faces several weeks out with an ankle injury, while winger Jota is building up fitness after a long-term knee injury.

Aberdeen are still without defender Kristers Tobers and midfield trio Brad Lyons, Ante Palaversa and Emmanuel Gyamfi.

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• Hosts Celtic sit top of the Scottish Premiership table on nine points, two points ahead of St Mirren in second after three matches. Celtic won their previous Premiership match 2-1 at home against Falkirk, their third straight league victory.

• Aberdeen slumped to a 1-0 defeat by Rangers at Pittodrie Stadium in their last Premiership match, putting them in 10th place on three points.

• The previous Premiership fixture between the teams saw Celtic win 2-1 at Pittodrie last season. Kieran Tierney opened the scoring for the Hoops in the fifth minute. Benjamin Nygren also was on target. Kevin Nisbet scored for the Dons in the 19th minute from the penalty spot.

• Celtic have got the better of Aberdeen of late, unbeaten in the past 28 Premiership matches between the two teams. A win for Aberdeen would be their first against Celtic in the league since May 2018. During that period, Celtic have outscored the Dons with 71 goals for and 21 against.

• Hosts Celtic have won both of their two previous Premiership contests at Celtic Park this season. Aberdeen lost in their only prior league contest away from home this season. The Dons are on a 13-match away winless streak. The last time they earned a win in a Premiership away game was December 2025 against Dundee.

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Marius Muller says he would happily repeat his recent rabona against Dundee.

Muller, 33, performed the trick in the Dons' recent Scottish League Cup win.

"You have to be a little bit crazy in the right moments, in the right times as a goalkeeper," Muller, 33.

"In this moment, it makes sense. If it makes sense, I will do it again, sure."

Joining from Wolfsburg this summer, Muller is now playing regularly after limited appearances in the previous two seasons.

"For me, it's very good to have game time again after two years playing not so much," he said.

"In the end, nobody will tell you, 'you're number one, you're number two'.

"Nobody said, 'you are the clear number one no matter what happens'. In football, you get no guarantees to play and I don't want a guarantee to play.

"You have to push every day. You have to earn it to play on the weekend."

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Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson is not close to bringing in any new signings but says the imminent closure of the English transfer window could create opportunities.

Transfers depend on whether money is available and if targets can improve the squad without blocking "younger players' pathway". The Scottish window closes on Thursday.

And Robinson said: "We've brought in a lot of players. Ten free transfers. Three signings we've paid a little bit of money for. There's been a lot of change.

"If there's a chance to improve the squad, then definitely we're still looking.

"I'm not close to anyone coming in at the moment. I don't know if that it'll be it. The English window closes tonight, so things can change, opportunities arise that perhaps we didn't see coming and we'll keep an open mind if there's money available."

Robinson also says fringe players who are yet to feature for him could have a future at Pittodrie if they do not leave the club this week.

"Yes, of course, if they're good enough, if they train well enough," he explained.

"They're not involved for a reason. I have the luxury of seeing them every day and if they're not involved then I don't deem them to be good enough to be in the squad and I've never known a manager not put a player in a squad that would make sure you win a game or keep you in a job.

"I've been honest with all the players who I believe won't be a part of what we're doing going forward.

"When the window closes, everyone has that chance. They have a chance every day in training. If they step up and show us what talent they have, then of course they'll be involved."

Phil McDonald
BBC Scotland

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Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson and goalkeeper Marius Muller has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Scottish Premiership trip to Celtic Park. Here are the key points.

• Robinson is not close to bringing in any new signings but says the imminent closure of the English transfer window could create opportunities. Transfers depend on whether money is available and if targets can improve the squad without blocking "younger players' pathway".

• The Aberdeen manager says fringe players who are yet to feature for him could have a future at Pittodrie if they do not leave the club - but, they have to be "good enough" and "train well enough", adding: "They're not involved for a reason."

• Robinson regards Wednesday's match in Glasgow as a "tough challenge". "They've consistently been the best team in the league for a long, long time now and that hasn't changed," said the Dons boss.

• Muller discussed his recent rabona against Dundee, saying: "You have to be a little bit crazy in the right moments." The keeper adds he would do it again if it made sense.

• The goalkeeper was given no assurances he would be first choice when he joined Aberdeen.

• Muller describes Scottish football as "a little bit wild" and "much nicer to watch than German football" and says the style of play is "very fast" with more fluency, as referees "don't whistle every single touch, every single tackle".

Glen Schreuder
Fan writer

Maybe the weekend off didn't help Aberdeen, maybe a few decisions will be looked back on, but we need to stop finding excuses and look at other problems that Sunday's defeat to Rangers has brought about.

There is still a real lack of identity about this Aberdeen team and with 13 new arrivals it is little wonder.

Walking away from Pittodrie at full-time I couldn't help but feel disappointed at two things. One, taking nothing from the game, and two, not applying ourselves more against a Rangers side who came here in a bit of a mess.

Consistency is going to be key for Aberdeen to have a successful season and Stephen Robinson needs to find it quickly.

Unfortunately some of our upcoming fixtures aren't too kind. With the transfer window closing on Thursday it seems departures are more likely than incomings.

I'd still like us to see at least another winger and a quality centre-midfielder that isn't going to cost £500k from St Mirren before the window slams shut or it could be a long few months.

Glen Schreuder can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external

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Chris Cadden says Aberdeen have to regroup and come back stronger after Sunday's narrow Scottish Premiership defeat by Rangers.

Lawrence Shankland's late penalty was the only goal of the game at Pittodrie, leaving Stephen Robinson's side with three points from their opening three league games.

Aberdeen go to champions Celtic on Wednesday before hosting Kilmarnock on Saturday, and Cadden hopes they will go into those matches with a positive mindset.

"There are a lot of positives to take but as a football club, as players and as the manager, we don't accept not winning games of football," Cadden said.

"We know we have to do better, go away and look at the things we can do better.

"We're not happy, of course we're not because that's the mentality we have as players.

"But we take the positives, look at what we can improve on and go on to Wednesday. There's no point feeling sorry for ourselves.

"It's a big week for us, it can still be a good week so we have to dust ourselves down and go again.

"It's never going to be plain sailing throughout a whole season, we know that and are not naive enough to think that.

"So it's about bouncing back and that's what the full focus will be on Wednesday."

We asked for your views after Aberdeen were edged out by Rangers in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Frank: All change but everything stays the same. Lack of creative nous in the midfield. Too slow in the build-up. Do they practise shooting at training? Long season ahead if this approach continues.

Neil: Poor. Stephen Robinson talks a good game about fight and grit. I hope we see that emerging in the coming weeks.

Jimi: A relatively good performance let down by Dan Happe's catastrophic decision-making. Oh, and that officiating. I agree with Robinson's implication. Rangers should have been down to nine men.

Mark: I just don't think Robinson is the man for the job. Our decision-making in the final third is woeful and our defence is suspect at best. Another long season of mid-table mediocrity is coming. I doubt we'll make the top six and I think we'll be looking for yet another manager in about 18 months. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.

Bill: It was a terrible game, not helped by a useless ref, but Rangers were there for the taking and we can't just blame the ref as we were pretty terrible.

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Aberdeen striker Kusini Yengi has joined Sanfrecce Hiroshima on loan, with the Japanese club holding an option to make the move permanent.

The Australia international joined the Dons from Portsmouth a year ago but has since scored just once in 10 games.

The 27-year-old forward spent part of last term on loan with Cerezo Osaka and will now return to Japan for this campaign.

"This is a good opportunity for Kusini," Aberdeen boss Stephen Robinson said.

"Competition for places in forward areas is strong, and together we felt that a loan move to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, where he can play regularly, is the right step.

"They also have an option to make the transfer permanent, which provides clarity for everyone moving forward."