Aberdeen’s Topi Keskinen determined to break Finnish bad luck omen and land Scottish Cup glory.
In 2023, Keskinen won the Liiga Cup in his home country, but winning the trophy is considered bad luck in Finland because if you win, you are unlikely to have a successful domestic season.
Topi Keskinen’s last trophy was deemed a bad luck omen, and he is hoping for the opposite when Aberdeen travel to Hampden this weekend.
The Finnish winger hopes to defeat Celtic and lead the Dons to their first Scottish Cup victory in 35 years.
In 2023, he won the Liiga Cup in his home country, but winning the trophy is considered bad luck in Finland because it is essentially a pre-season tournament, and if you win, you are unlikely to have a successful domestic season.
Keskinen’s HJK Helsinki bucked the trend, defeating AC Oulu 2-1 in the final and becoming Finnish champions.
According to the Daily Record, the winger is hoping for a new era of success for Jimmy Thelin’s team following a surprise victory at Hampden Park.
Keskinen explained, “Yeah, it’s essentially a preseason tournament. So we compete against Finnish league teams. It’s as if winning it always brings bad luck to the league.
“Well, we won the league after that one, too, but many teams aren’t as fortunate. It’s not very big.”
Cup fever has struck Aberdeen, with 20,000 tickets sold in less than a day. The majority of the Red Army will travel south with hope rather than expectation.
Keskinen understands that cups are more important in Scotland than in Finland, where clubs prefer not to travel long distances. The attacker said, “It’s massive. That is why we need to give a good performance and demonstrate fighting spirit for the fans.
“They travel for every single game we play. That’s why I didn’t like the Finnish cups so much: teams don’t care about them.
“I believe the cup should be like here in Scotland, where everyone wants to win it. But in Finland, for example, if you lose the cup, you say, “Okay, we have fewer games and can focus on the league.” So that is the mentality there. “I don’t really like that one.”
Keskinen has played in Europe and internationally, including against England at Wembley Stadium, but he believes this final will be the biggest of them all.
“I would say it’s the biggest game,” he stated. “This is the most important game I’ve played. I believe so.
“I’ve played some big games before, but I’ve never been in a cup final like this. So I believe that is the most important game for me.
Topi Keskinen celebrates after scoring for Aberdeen against Dundee at Dens Park (Image: SNS Group)
Aberdeen are aiming to win their first trophy in over a decade. It will also be Jimmy Thelin’s first Cup Final.
There is an added incentive for Aberdeen because if they win, they will be guaranteed European group stage football.
Keskinen’s girlfriend will help the Red Army, but the rest of his family will be watching from home in Finland. He confirmed, “My girlfriend is coming, but she is the only one coming.”
“My family and friends will not be coming over. You can now watch (the game) in Finland, so they’re not making the trip. Only my girlfriend will come across.
“As I previously stated, having these key games is advantageous because they provide the best experience, including all of the hype. It’s really nice.
Celtic have had the upper hand over Aberdeen this season, and they must find a way to redress the balance.
Thelin’s side did manage a comeback draw early in the season, but Celtic have since surpassed them with four wins, including a bruising 6-0 defeat on their last visit to Hampden as Brendan Rodgers’ men breezed past them in the League Cup semi-finals on their way to winning their first trophy of the Treble push.
Rodgers even had the luxury of resting a number of key players for the final game at Pittodrie, and they still won 5-1. The Dons have lost their last four games, finishing fifth in the Premiership.
Aberdeen’s only positive is that they have created chances in all of their games. However, they did not take them and were subsequently punished.
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Keskinen admitted, “We need to score when we have chances in front of the goal.” It was the same in Helsinki, where we competed against strong European teams.
“If you do not score, they will score. Celtic, for example, simply needs to score when the opportunity arises. Because when they get the chance, they usually score.
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