‘You can’t just rock up and expect to win 4-0’ – Fulham’s Aaron Hughes wary of Europa League upset

Aaron Hughes of Fulham(Getty Images)

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Fulham defender Aaron Hughes has sent out a warning ahead of the team’s first match of the season, telling them not to underestimate their opponents from the Faroe Islands.

The Cottagers take on NSI Runavik in the first leg of a qualifier to get into the Europa League, a match which they are heavy favourites to win.

But Hughes, drawing on his own experience, is refusing to take victory for granted.

He was part of the Northern Ireland side that could only draw 1-1 in the Faroe Islands last year in Euro 2012 qualifying and wants to make sure there are no further slip ups.

“Our draw with the Faroes was proof that things like that can happen. You can’t just rock up and expect to win 4-0,” he told reporters.

“If we don’t prepare properly, silly things can happen.”

Fulham made the final of the competition in 2010 and were narrowly beaten by Atletico Madrid having knocked out big European clubs such as Juventus and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Their match against Runavik comes only week after the players started pre-season training, and Hughes admits the squad knows little about their opponents.

“I don’t know a great deal about them,” said Hughes.

“We’ve not had a chance to look at them too much this week because it has more been about preparation on the football pitch and a little bit of top-up on the fitness.

“I guess in the meeting before the game anything that the lads inside have found they will highlight and give us an idea before we go out.

“It is as much about focussing about what we do and making sure we do all the basic things right, which should be enough to take us through.”