Hearts to get insights on Euro unknowns

HEARTS have key European spies who will feed them information on their unknown Champions League opponents.

The Edinburgh club were today handed a trip into the unknown in the competition's second qualifying round when they were paired with either NK Siroki Brijeg from Bosnia-Herzegovina or Shakhtyor Soligorsk of Belarus.

However, Hearts' Bosnian winger Mirsad Beslija will be able to provide a vital insight on his countrymen, Siroki Brijeg, whilst Vladimir Romanov's financing of the Belarussian side MTZ Ripo is likely to provide a priceless source of information on Shakhtyor Soligorsk.

Yuri Puntus, the Belarussian national coach, is a former manager of MTZ Ripo and colleague of Romanov who will soon be prompted to divulge his intimate knowledge on Soligorsk.

"I will call Puntus and get information from him," said coach Valdas Ivanauskas today. "He knows every player and every detail about Soligorsk so that can be a big plus for us. I don't have much information yet on the Bosnian side but I will be making calls to find out and we will send our scouts to watch some of their games."

Shakhtyor Soligorsk will meet Siroki Brijeg in the first leg of the Champions League's first qualifying round in Belarus on 11/12 July, with the return taking place the following week in Bosnia-Herzegovina on 18/19 July.

The winners will then meet Hearts in the second qualifying round, which begins on July 25/26.

"I think the draw is okay," continued Ivanauskas. "I know that Siroki Brijeg were seeded in the draw but for me Soligorsk are the favourites to go through."

Assistant coach John McGlynn was informed of the draw by the Evening News from his base with the Hearts squad in France. He said: "We will need to do our homework on both teams but we have Mirsad Beslija who will have some knowledge of Siroki Brijeg, as well as being able to help us with details on the kind of area we might we walking into.

"He should know about the facilities in the surrounding area so we will use that. We have almost a month to prepare so both teams will be watched to make sure we are ready for them."

Formed in 1961, Shakhtyor Soligorsk are champions of Belarus under manager Vadim Filipovich. They play in the Shakhtsyor Stadium, which has a 5000 capacity.

Siroki Brijeg are also champions of their league and were established in 1948, but their greatest successes have come in the last 15 years. Their home is the 10,000-capacity Pecara Stadium.

Taken from the Scotsman