David Healy hoping Linfield can build on last season's experience

The Blues flew out to Geneva yesterday morning ahead of today’s UEFA Champions League preliminary round game against Tre Fiori of San Marino, with the winners facing either Kosovan side Drita or Andorra’s Inter Club d’Escaldes in Tuesday’s final.

Last season’s promising showing saw Healy’s men reach the Europa League play-offs, where they lost to Qarabag.

“It’s an opportunity for us,” the Linfield boss told BBC Sport.

“Our European run was huge for us and I certainly enjoyed it as a manager and the players had a little taste of decent away trips and what it feels like to be progressing through rounds.

“I’m not saying that’s going to happen this year, it’s going to be as difficult, if not harder, but we look forward to the challenge.”

The format has changed this year with all qualifying rounds prior to the play-off being played over one leg, and Healy feels that they will stepping into the unknown because of that.

“Me and my staff are going into it a bit blind-folded,” he said. “A normal European scenario is over two legs, you can get a look at someone in the first leg and readjust.

“There is a chance assess the opposition on strengths and weaknesses and be better in the second leg, but under these circumstances we’re only going to get one look at them, so we just have to prepare the players as best we can for Saturday.”