Neilson can’t wait for glamour ties with Ozil and Co
HEARTS boss Robbie Neilson insists his side have landed a plum draw in the shape of Serie A giants Fiorentina in this season’s Europa Conference League.
Neilson’s side were yesterday drawn into Group A alongside the Italians, as well as Istanbul Basaksehir and Latvian champions RFS. Hearts dropped into the third tier of European competition courtesy of Thursday night’s agonising defeat against FC Zurich at Tynecastle.
But Neilson was in good spirits yesterday, with the games against Fiorentina and Basaksehir particularly whetting the appetite.
It may have been a few years now since Fiorentina last dined at the top table of European football, when they could call on talents such as Gabriel Batistuta and Rui Costa.
But there’s no doubt they remain one of the top names at this level and will start as one of the favourites to go all the way in the Conference League.
The Italians can call on Luka Jovic up front, the Serbia striker who was signed by Real Madrid for the best part of £60million in 2019. Basaksehir, meanwhile, will present Hearts with a meeting with Mesut Ozil, the former Arsenal, Real Madrid and Germany World Cup winner who signed for the Turks earlier this summer.
‘I think it’s a great draw,’ said Neilson. ‘The trips will be brilliant for the fans. Fiorentina need no introduction.
‘They have been one of the top teams in Europe for a number of years. They’ve played in all the tournaments and won trophies. It’s a great place to go.
‘We looked at the names that were in the draw and, if you were going to pick one to play against, it would probably have been Fiorentina.
‘Not just the experience of going over there, but to have a team of that calibre and history coming to Tynecastle on a Thursday night under the floodlights... the place will be absolutely rocking.
‘This is the reason you get European football. It’s to play against these huge European teams.
‘It will be a brilliant atmosphere for both games and the fans have earned it. Brilliant nights to look forward to.
‘Istanbul will be an unbelievable atmosphere, as you get in these places. For the fans, players and staff to experience it will be great.
‘Latvia is a different country for us all and hopefully a chance to go and play well and pick up points.’
Asked about who he might choose to man-mark Ozil, Neilson joked: ‘I’ll need to pick about four of them I think!
‘I think it’s great to be going in at that level, for the boys to experience facing these guys who have been at the very top.
‘We can go in with confidence. If we can match the intensity and belief of Thursday night, then we can take teams on.’
Latvians RFS were fortunate to make it to the group stage after progressing thanks to a bizarre last-minute own goal against Linfield on Thursday night.
That represents a fair journey for the Hearts fans, along with the trip to Istanbul. But, even if it’s planes, trains and automobiles, Neilson has no doubt the supporters will turn out in their numbers.
He also challenged his players to show the consistency that is required to cope with a punishing schedule with games coming thick and fast every Thursday and Sunday.
‘They are all jaunts, to be honest,’ he said. ‘You finish these games at ten o’clock at night, then there’s drug-testing so you don’t leave the stadium till halfpast 11 or 12 o’clock.
‘Then you travel all the way home and it’s difficult, but that’s part of being in Europe. You need to get used to it.
‘Big players and big teams do it. If we want to do it consistently, we have to be able to manage the situation.
‘I’m sure the fans will be right on the internet booking flights and hotels to get out there and experience it all.
‘Throughout Hearts’ history, European group stage football hasn’t been a consistent thing. To do that is brilliant.
‘I’m really looking forward to seeing the fans in these different countries and seeing the players compete at that level.
‘The two European games so far have been great for the players. It’s that belief that you can play at that level because it’s different from Scotland. It’s up another couple of levels.
‘To go away from home (against Zurich), perform well in large periods and then do so well at home helped the boys realise they are European players now.
‘They can play at that level. Now the thing is can we do it consistently? Can we do it on a Thursday night and come back and do it on a Sunday?
‘We have earned the right to play group stage football. We knew whoever came out that hat would be tough, especially from Pot 1 and Pot 2.’
The exact schedule for the games is likely to be known by this morning, with the opening fixture set to be played on Thursday, September 8.
Back on the domestic front, Hearts will host St Johnstone at Tynecastle tomorrow as they look to bounce back from last week’s 2-0 defeat at Celtic Park.
‘We can’t take our eye off it (the league) because it’s the league that gets us into the European group stage,’ said Neilson.
‘We have to make sure we win these games and be ready. They are as important if not more important than the European ties.
‘We have games non-stop until the international break — playing Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday then back to Thursday in Europe for the start of the group stages.
‘It’s a busy period but you want to play in these big games in full stadiums. That’s what we have to look forward to.
‘Stephen Kingsley (hamstring) is one we will have a look at until the last minute.
‘Craig Halkett is still out, Alex Cochrane and Toby Sibbick are suspended. Other than that, we’re fine.’