Fiorentina vs Hearts

Robbie Neilson has named his Hearts side to face off against Fiorentina in their Europa Conference League group stage clash this evening.

[Neilson](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/all-about/robbie-neilson) still has plenty of injury problems in his squad to be concerned with as well, while he has also lost Lewis Neilson for this match as the defender serves a suspension after being sent off at Tynecastle last week. [Tynecastle](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/all-about/tynecastle-park) club are in the Italian region of Tuscany as they aim to get their European campaign back on track and keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive. However, the Jambos know just how difficult the challenge ahead of them will be after losing 3-0 at home to the Viola last week. [here](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/newsletter-preference-centre/) to take yourself to our Newsletter Preference Centre. [Lawrence Shankland](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/all-about/lawrence-shankland) won't be involved from the start of the game as the striker takes a place on the bench. Hearts are currently sitting in third place in Group A with three points, leaving them just a point behind tonight's opponents with two more games to go after this one.

The Jambos have arrived in Italy ahead of their Europa Conference League return against the Serie A side after suffering a 3-0 defeat at Tynecastle to the ...

“We’ve had some great European results over the years, but we know that we’re coming up against a great team. “I wasn’t happy with the performance last week because we didn’t press them in the way we would have liked. The home side lost an early goal and never really recovered with young Lewis Neilson also sent off early in the second half to make the task at hand even more difficult. [Neilson](https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/all-about/robbie-neilson) said: “We had a decent flight and we’re looking forward to the game. [Hearts](https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/all-about/heart-of-midlothian-fc) boss hailing the game as 'exciting' as he outlined plans to try and apply pressure higher up the pitch in what will be a very difficult occasion. [Europa Conference League](https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/all-about/europa-conference-league) return against Fiorentina after [suffering a 3-0 defeat at Tynecastle](https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/sport/hearts-0-fiorentina-3-serie-25199641) to the same opposition last week.

Four Hearts players are out of Thursday's Europa Conference League tie against Fiorentina in Italy, manager Robbie Neilson has confirmed.

“We have done analysis and worked on our gameplan. “To come to a place like this and get something would be outstanding for us. Tomorrow will be a different atmosphere, a different type of stadium, a lot bigger and a lot more open. It's a learning curve for everyone – players, staff, fans – but we want to continue doing it. “We would like not to concede after four minutes like last week. “I watched the game on Monday and it was a disappointing scoreline for them,” stated Neilson.

Chris Sutton has insisted that Rangers may not be the most embarrassing Scottish team of the week in Europe as Hearts get smashed by Fiorentina.

The sooner these fixtures are over, the better for these Scottish sides, with more money likely needing to be spent in January and next summer to turn things around. Hearts have not started much better, and were 4-0 at half-time in Italy as many questioned if they should throw in the towel and get on the next plane home. Chris Sutton has insisted that Rangers may not be the most embarrassing Scottish team of the week in Europe as Hearts get smashed by Fiorentina.

After the first 45 minutes, it was all about damage limitation in their Europa Conference League clash. The on-loan Wigan Athletic frontman was inches from ...

Humphrys effort has been the only positive of the game. The Aussie eventually had to be subbed off. But Neilson changed shape at the interval and was rewarded almost instantly. The Argentine goes for his second of the night but Gordon is equal to it to send it wide for a corner. And the whistle will be a welcome respite for Hearts who will be having nightmares about this first half for weeks. His players have been absolutely nowhere near it and it might just be a case of keeping the score down after the break. A Biraghi inswinging corner is easily dealt with and it it looks like Halliday's taken a sore one but he's back up and getting on with it after a few seconds on the deck clutching his face. And a sigh of relief from the Hearts bench as Kingsley looks OK to play on after a chat with the medical team. He's lectured by the referee for storming out of his technical area and looks like a scolded schoolchild on the touchline after taking his telling. Alex Cochrane gets it all wrong and the hosts have a penalty to make it five. Just about there but it whizzes over the bar and lands on the roof of the net. The striker is just inside the Fiorentina half but spots Pierluigi Gollini off his line and tries a Patrick Schick.

The Jambos were over in Italy for their fourth Europa Conference League match and were left to lament a disastrous first half on their way to another Euro ...

Kio - 5 Cracked the post with a great effort inside 60 seconds and missed another before half-time, but soon the resistance crumbled. Another who struggled with pace of the game. A real bright spark for Hearts on an otherwise dull night. Provided legs in the engine room but that was little use as he was up against it almost from kick-off. Struggled with the menacing Jovic. But that's not a role you want to do when not used against top opposition. Stephen Kingsley - 5 Gave away a penalty. [Europa Conference League](https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/all-about/europa-conference-league) knockout round qualification hopes are now slim as they need to win both games against RFS and Istanbul Basaksehir and hope Fiorentina lose their closing games. Luka Jovic scored a header while Nathaniel Atkinson was off getting treatment before Barrie McKay was harshly judged to have committed a foul outside the box, Cristiano Biraghi converting the resulting free-kick. A penalty by Gonzalez sobered them further and the Jambos'