ABERDEEN have no inferiority complex ahead of their Europa League clash with Burnley, according to manager Derek McInnes.

Burnley make their return to European competition at Pittodrie on Thursday after a 51-year absence, while Aberdeen have two European trophies and more than 130 games under their belt. But the financial gulf between the two football nations means the English side are clear favourites.

Aberdeen pocketed £2.3million from the Scottish Professional Football League after finishing second for a fourth consecutive season while Burnley received nearly £120million for finishing seventh in the Premier League.

"There's not a huge gulf between the clubs," McInnes said. "There is a huge gulf between the leagues.

"And because there is a gulf between the leagues, where Burnley operate is a completely different level in terms of finances and the rest of it.

"We are a very proud club with traditions and we back ourselves. We have a brilliant support here, so there is no inferiority complex from us as a club.

"In terms of the leagues, of course there is a huge difference but I'm actually not that bothered about what people think of the Scottish league or what the perception is, because I just want to win the game. I just want to do all we can to try and get winning performances.

"That's all I am interested in, everything else is for everyone else to talk and comment on, but it's not important."

The transfer of Adam Rooney, Aberdeen's top goalscorer for the past four seasons, to ambitious National League newcomers Salford City sparked debate about the state of Scottish football in recent days, but the comparisons have not been noted in the Pittodrie dressing room.

Skipper Graeme Shinnie said: "I don't think it has ever come into our heads about proving Scottish football is this or Scottish football is that. We have got way more important things to focus on than that.

"People are naturally going to talk about things that happen and that's out of our control, but we have a Europa League game that we are desperate to win. None of that stuff comes into the dressing room."

The Scotland international added: "There's massive belief. We have beaten some massive teams here and we beat Rijeka away, who were a top team. We have come off the back of beating Celtic away last season. The crowd is always a massive help to us."

Aberdeen have not reached the group stages for 11 years, when they reached the latter knockout stages and lost to Bayern Munich.

But they are looking to utilise the experience of playing regular European campaigns in the summer months.

"We have beaten some good teams," McInnes said. "There is maybe some sort of comparison with Real Sociedad, they had finished seventh in La Liga when we played them. Real Sociedad have been the best team to date we have played in the Europa League, and we were very close to getting a result here, at one stage we looked like we could cause a huge shock.

"We will draw on all the experiences we have had. Whether we have been favourites in Europe or huge underdogs, we have always gone into each and every tie feeling capable of winning it, and that will be the case against Burnley."