Ahead of Hearts v Benfica, boss admits: We're not up to scratch | OneFootball

Wouter Vrancken gave, this Wednesday, his preview of the match between Hearts and Benfica, the second leg of the third Europa League qualifying round. The Belgian coach addressed the competitive reality of the Scottish side, Cláudio Braga’s future, and the challenge of facing the Eagles again at Tynecastle after the heavy defeat suffered at the Luz.

Asked about the difference in quality between Hearts and the opponents the team have faced so far in European competitions, Vrancken was direct and did not hide how difficult the task is: “We are not at the level of teams like Benfica or Sturm Graz.”

The 6-1 thrashing suffered in Lisbon has all but decided the tie, but the coach believes the recent 4-0 win over Dundee United in the Scottish league helped restore the group’s confidence levels: “The players are working very hard and trying to learn new things. The next step is to get results. It is important for the fans to see that this work is paying off.”

Asked what Hearts are missing, “We need experience at this level and we need to be physically prepared.”

About Benfica: “They finished third in the league last season without losing a single game. They are an enjoyable team to watch and have a lot of quality.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.