Samba Jambo ready to go

PAUL KIDDIE

RECENT Brazilian signing Samuel Camazzola is set to make his first start for Hearts in tonight's CIS Cup third-round clash against Livingston at Almondvale.

The midfielder, a Vladimir Romanov recruit just prior to the closure of the summer transfer window, will be handed his full debut in West Lothian this evening.

Camazzola, a holder of an Italian passport, was signed on loan from first division Juventude despite Burley not having seen him play. His big chance has arisen due to the calf problem hindering Frenchman Julien Brellier, with Burley also currently fretting over the fitness of a number of first-team players ahead of his side's SPL showdown with Rangers in three days.

The 23-year-old Brazilian appeared as a second-half substitute for Jamie McAllister in Saturday's SPL victory over Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Greek full-back Takis Fyssas misses the cup clash with the knee knock he suffered against Caley Thistle, while Neil MacFarlane, Ibrahim Tall, Michal Pospisil and Roman Bednar are also set to sit out the game.

"Julien did well to finish the match on Saturday as he took a painful kick to his calf," said Burley, who could field young striker Calum Elliot alongside Edgar Jankauskas with Bednar's foot injury still causing discomfort. "Julien has been receiving treatment this week and he will hopefully be able to return to training tomorrow. We don't have a big squad to choose from and, while we don't really have that many options, others will get a chance against Livingston.

"I thought Samuel did okay when he came on against Inverness. He is one we will look at for the cup-tie.

"When we played Queen's Park we were able to change things around a bit but we don't have the same amount of personnel available to us this time.

"But we have got a squad who will go out and try to win the game as they do every week."

Burley admitted the SPL campaign in which his table-topping Jambos have enjoyed a storming start with seven straight wins is his priority.

However, he also acknowledged that winning a cup is easier than coming out on top of the pile over the course of a long season.

"The priority is the league, plain and simple," he said. "But we are just three games away from the final of the CIS Cup if we can win tonight. You need to win less games to win a cup and you also need a bit of luck. But just because it is easier doesn't mean anything is guaranteed."

With Rangers uppermost in his mind, the likes of top scorer Rudi Skacel and Paul Hartley could find themselves rested with Stephen Simmons standing by for a rare start in the middle of the park.

Taken from the Scotsman