SWANSEA City's players were rubbing their eyes and taking a second look when they got into the Liberty dressing room last Thursday night.
"It was a bit strange just seeing the Europa League sign on the door," Ashley Williams explains.
There will be another new experience for Michael Laudrup's men in Malmo tonight, when Swansea play a first competitive fixture on foreign soil since Frank Burrows's team were demolished 8-0 in Monaco in 1991.
Swansea are expecting a much better result this evening — even though a narrow defeat would not hit them that hard.
Having romped home 4-0 in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie with Malmo, Swansea know that only a footballing disaster will see their interest in the competition end here.
If they are not home and dry already, they are stood on the doorstep — and the sun has been shining in the south of Sweden ever since Swansea landed in Scandinavia yesterday lunchtime.
Part of Laudrup's task, therefore, is to ensure his side's focus is spot on come 6.45pm tonight.
But Williams, the Dane's new regular first-team captain, is confident the mindset will be right.
"I've never gone into a game with a 4-0 lead before, but we have to forget about the scoreline," he says. "We have just got to concentrate on getting our performance right because we want to win this game.
"Having the two competitive games against Malmo has given us a good chance to prepare for Manchester United next week.
"We can iron out a couple of issues, which is something you can only do on the pitch, and doing that in competitive games will stand us in good stead for United."
Williams was asked yesterday whether he feels Swansea can go and win the Europa League.
Predictably, the Wales captain did not get carried away in his response.
However, the fact that question came at all says everything about the respect which Swansea have earned in the last couple of seasons. "We have never spoken about winning this competition," Williams stresses. "We haven't set any targets in terms of where we want to go, but of course we want to get through this qualifying round and the next one.
"We want to get into the group stage, then it will be about winning as many games as we can and seeing where that takes us."
Swansea will have plenty on their plate this season if they can reach the Europa League's group stages.
With two domestic cups and of course the Premier League to think about, Laudrup's men will have a heavier workload than ever before.
But then there is a feeling within the Liberty that Swansea will be able to cope because there is a better squad than ever before at the manager's disposal.
"We look a lot better this year than we did last year," reckons Williams.
"We have brought in good players, and they are all good lads who have settled in well.
"I think if you watched the Malmo game last week, you will have seen that we have a different aspect to our game this season.
"With Jonjo (Shelvey) in there and Wilfried (Bony) playing up front, it gives us something a bit different going forward."
Shelvey will not be involved tonight because of illness, but Bony will be intent on giving Malmo more problems.
The Swedes' captain, Jiloan Hamad, suggested in the wake of the first leg that Swansea were the best team he had ever played against.
The stakes are lower this week, but Laudrup will demand that his players show how just how good they can be once again.
