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Legendary status with Hibs is already assured for Lewis Stevenson as he carries the distinction of being the most decorated player in his club’s history.

As the only player to have both Scottish and League Cup winners medals in his cabinet, it’s a decade-long career of unsurpassed achievement.

But the Hibs defender insists even those successes will be eclipsed by a Europa League group stage spot which can be reached with a triumph in Molde tonight.

With the third-round second leg balanced after last week’s 0-0 draw in Edinburgh, Stevenson, 30, believes progress into the play-off stage would provide a nadir of seismic proportions.

NSI Runavik and Asteras Tripolis have already been conquered and progress through two rounds in Europe is already unchartered territory.

Stevenson is adamant they can take another extraordinary step.

He said: “Reaching the group stage would be the ultimate achievement. We had good success in the league last year and have had special runs in the cups but to do it on the European stage would be the biggest of all.

“We aren’t quite there yet but we’ll focus on the game and hopefully make history again. The last couple of seasons we’ve been beating records here and there. If we did this it would be the biggest of them all. I didn’t realise how long it had been since we’d been this far in Europe, going through so many rounds.

“We’ve had a lot of games already this season and it is standing us in good stead. Hopefully this is just a small part of the journey and we still have a long way to go.”

This journey for Neil Lennon’s side has been a story for Hibs of clearing hurdles as they go from the Faroes to Greece and now on to Norway. It’s also been an experience Stevenson believes has created a band of brothers.

(Image: SNS)

He said: “We’ve probably spent more time with one another than with our families recently. It’s a tight-knit squad and that might be the difference.

“In previous years when I first came into the team you’d enjoy the experience and the European trips but from the start this year we stated we wanted to progress and be successful.

“We do a lot of video stuff but honestly I think playing games is the best way to prepare for the next one. The boys are up and running as if it was the middle of the season already.

“It’s a totally different style of football from what you get in the SPFL where you can play the same team four or five times a season.”

Molde’s 5-1 weekend league win over Brann underlined the size of the task for Hibs and is illustrated by the bookies who have handed the Leith side the underdog tag.

(Image: SNS Group)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spoke with confidence about his team’s prospects but Stevenson is adamant the focus will be firmly on scoring an away goal.

He said: “We believe we can score. We have players in our team who are capable of scoring and changing games that are on a knife-edge.

“We’re a dangerous team, we’ve maybe let in more than we’ve wanted but we’ve seemed to steady the ship in the last couple of games. We’re going to need to score at some point and be pretty solid at the back as well.

“We can’t focus on Molde’s result against Brann. Hopefully we can give them some problems.”