Uefa Conference League: Shields questions logic of Linfield-Shelbourne rematch

The 34-year-old Dubliner has previous group stage experience in Europe with Dundalk in 2016 and 2020 and said it would be “the pinnacle” for a lot of the squad should the Blues turn the tables on the League of Ireland champions this time around.

“The likes of Jamie Mulgrew, Kirk Millar… It’s Kirk’s testimonial year this year, so no more fitting year to get into the group stage,” he said.

“People who’ve been at the club a long time, David (Healy) the manager for a long time and (kit manager) Gary Eccles here for 41 years – it would be good for these people to get to the group stage.”

Shields missed the first leg of the Champions League qualifier at Tolka Park in July due to suspension but is available for Thursday’s return to Dublin which could see him make his 60th appearance in European competition.

That game was Linfield’s first competitive fixture of the new campaign with Shelbourne midway through their own domestic season and Shields is hopeful the “minutes in the legs” since will put the Blues in a better position this time around.

“We’re definitely better prepared,” he added.

“We’ve had six European matches and every one of them were tough and challenging matches [that] you are never going to get with a friendly, plus the Dungannon (league) game last weekend.

“We’ve the minutes in the legs and the bodies are in a far better position going into this round than the first round when we met them. The unknown is out the window as we are familiar with how Shelbourne play and we’re more familiar with how we play since going into the last one.”