The subplot at Ibrox on Tuesday night extends beyond form and league position, with interim Aberdeen boss Peter Leven returning to face Rangers - the club where his football journey began.
Leven, a former Rangers youth player, who never made a first-team appearance at Ibrox but appeared on the bench three times in the 2000/01 season, has been entrusted with Aberdeen’s dugout for a third interim spell following Jimmy Thelin’s departure, and Sporting Director Lutz Pfannenstiel made clear he has full confidence in the 42-year-old.
“I have full belief and full trust in Peter Leven,” Pfannenstiel said.
“He’s done it before as an interim manager and got good results.
“He knows the team very well. He knows the club very well.”
Leven’s appointment brings familiarity at a moment of upheaval - and adds an extra layer of intrigue given his Rangers background.
While the focus remains firmly on Aberdeen’s response, the setting could hardly be more demanding.
Pfannenstiel acknowledged that continuity was crucial in the immediate term.
“It would be very wrong to make a panic decision,” he said.
“Right now, stability is important. Peter gives us that.”
The Aberdeen sporting director also highlighted the value of local knowledge and Scottish influence during this transitional period, a theme that resonates strongly with Leven’s profile.
“I do want to have that Scottish element more and more,” Pfannenstiel explained.
“Don’t be surprised if we look for more Scottish players in the transfer market.”
Leven fits that identity naturally. During a previous caretaker spell, he led Aberdeen on a lengthy unbeaten run before Thelin’s arrival, earning quiet respect internally for his organisation and calm authority.
Now, he inherits a side under pressure, facing a Rangers team expected to dominate territory and tempo at Ibrox. Pfannenstiel admitted the task is significant but not one the club is shying away from.
“This is a reset,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity for every player. Ground zero.”
While Leven has previously distanced himself from the permanent role, Pfannenstiel confirmed the interim coach is fully supported as the club searches for a long-term successor - a process with no fixed timetable.
“It could be six days, six weeks or six months,” he said.
“We want to make the right decision.”
For now, though, all eyes are on Ibrox. An ex-Rangers youth player tasked with steadying Aberdeen against his former club is a storyline that writes itself, but the reality will be decided by how his side cope with the intensity, expectation and pressure that only Rangers at home can bring.