STUART McCALL admits Motherwell must find the right balance between passion and pragmatism if they are to negotiate tonight's first-ever Champions League qualification tie against Panathinaikos.
The Greeks may well be a shadow of the side that reached the last 16 of the Champions League as recently as 2009, with the financial meltdown in their homeland causing the Athens-based club to flirt with bankruptcy last year.
However, although his side have been lucky enough to gain the home draw he craved for the first leg of the third-round qualifier, McCall says his side must learn how to tread the tightrope between attack and caution if they are to earn a positive result.
He said: "It is vital that we get the balance right in this tie so that we can travel to Athens still in contention. If we achieve that then the boys will have done themselves proud. Obviously we are hoping for a full house tonight and that the fans will get right behind us, but we must stay totally focused on the job in hand.
"Ideally, you want to take a lead to Greece and not to have conceded anything, but that is going to be a big ask. What I am looking for from our lads is that every one of them gives me the best he is capable of and we will see where that takes us.
"It is a huge night for the club and everyone associated with Motherwell, and we want to produce a performance befitting of that."
Steven Saunders is Well's only injury absentee, but McCall admits that he has concerns over the lack of game time enjoyed by star stopper Shaun Hutchinson.
The big Geordie's pre-season has been bedeviled by injury but, nonetheless, Hutch will partner the club's only new recruit, Simon Ramsden, at the heart of the Fir Park backline tonight.
The 22-year-old's physical presence and athleticism is vital if Well are to post the clean sheet that seems crucial to their hopes of lining up for the second leg still alive.
The Well boss has no doubt that the contribution of new skipper Keith Lasley and his other experienced players, like record SPL appearance holder Stevie Hammell, will be vital.
McCall said: "In Europe, exper-ience is a key quality and, in the likes of Las and Hammy, we have two very important players for us with loads of it. Particularly in the middle of the park, it is going to be vital for us to retain possession and that is where Las has a big part to play.
"I think the big plus for us in getting in the likes of Simon Ramsden is that he is another experienced lad who has been around the block. So we are going to need to be solid and compact and make sure that when a chance comes our way we make the most of it."
McCall's main selection conundrum may come over just who to partner skipper Lasley with. Young midfield tyro Stuart Carswell offers an athletic presence, but it seems likely that Nicky Law will be asked to fill the vacancy caused by Steven Jennings' summer departure.
McCall added: "We have spent all summer waiting for this game and now it is here we are determined to produce a performance our fans can be proud of."