Eusebio et al actually ended the reign of Real Madrid — the competition’s five-time and only winners — when they lifted the trophy in May 1961. There is little chance of NK Siroki Brijeg following in those famous footsteps but the Hearts supporters are simply hoping that the Bosnian side will not ruin their return to the big time after 46 years.

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The Champions League second qualifying round contest ought to be a foregone conclusion for the team who finished second in the Bank of Scotland Premierleague last season. However, Valdas Ivanauskas and his players are aware that Celtic were embarrassed by the equally unfashionable Artmedia Bratislava at this stage last year.

Celtic wilted in the fierce heat in Slovakia and lost 5-0 in the first leg, but at least Hearts have the opening game in front of their own public before flying to Bosnia on Tuesday. It is not quite a “home” match because they are eschewing their own Tynecastle for Murrayfield. Around 25,000 fans will turn up at Scotland’s national rugby stadium, remarkable given the modest opposition and the many people who are on holiday.

Tynecastle’s 17,000 capacity, sold out for every domestic game, is too small to cope with the public demand that Hearts’ renaissance has prompted. They plan to use the 60,000-seat stadium, just as they did two years ago in the Uefa Cup, for every European tie and if the Edinburgh side qualified for the group stages of the Champions League, by negotiating this hurdle and the next qualifying round in August, “house full” signs might be posted if glamorous visitors are paired with Hearts.

Vladimir Romanov, the owner, spoke this week of wanting to build a new “national” stadium to compare with Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, for his Hearts side to play in. While that is a touch fanciful, there is little doubt that Hearts have generated immense interest over the past year, in which they won the Scottish Cup and split the Old Firm at the top of the Premierleague.

Yet, back in 1960, the achievement of winning the Scottish title was quickly undervalued. The side lost their leader, Dave Mackay, who was lured to Tottenham Hotspur, and the players recall being criticised by their supporters for losing to Benfica back then.

Ivanauskas, the head coach, refuses to attach any such misplaced confidence to the present task. He has watched videos of Siroki and sent a scout to both of their games against Shakhytor, of Belarus, in the last round, which the Bosnians won 2-0 on aggregate.

“They are a tough side,” the Hearts head coach, who is also mindful that he has numerous problems of his own, said. Andy Webster and Rudi Skacel refused to go on the pre-season of tour to Austria as part of their attempts to win moves to England — Wigan Athletic and Southampton respectively — while the talismanic Paul Hartley is absent with a groin injury.

Even Hearts’ large resources are tested. A dearth of midfield players means that Neil McCann could make a surprise return to action seven months after damaging knee ligaments on his return to the side. The Scotland player’s desire has pushed him into first-team contention earlier than expected.

McCann has not played competitively since injuring a knee 24 minutes into his second spell at Hearts at Kilmarnock last January. However, he took part in pre-season encounters against Osasuna and Livingston last week. Ivanauskas faces a straight choice between McCann and 18-year-old Andrew Driver for the left- sided midfield place.

“Neil will be involved at some stage and might just force his way into the starting eleven,” John McGlynn, the assistant, said yesterday. “Obviously Neil hasn’t played many games, but the ones he has been involved in have helped him dramatically. He got 30 minutes against Osasuna and 45 against Livingston, so it will just be down to us to make that decision tomorrow.”

Julien Brellier sustained a hamstring injury against Osasuna but the Frenchman has recovered well. “We feel more confident about Julien now,” McGlynn said. “He will train today and if he comes through it he’ll be available.”

In the absence of Webster and Jose Goncalves, who has a hip injury, Christophe Berra will partner Steven Pressley in the centre of defence. Hearts underlined their great hope for Berra yesterday by rewarding him with a new five-year contract — along with Jamie Mole — that will keep him at Tynecastle until 2011.

Hearts faced Bosnian opposition in 2002 when they disposed of Zeljeznicar Sarajevo in the Uefa Cup. The man who guided them to that success, Craig Levein, will be at Murrayfield tonight.

“Zeljeznicar didn’t win the league the season before we played them, so I imagine Siroki Brijeg will be of a higher standard and will make it more difficult for Hearts,” Levein said. “I watched Hearts in their friendly last week against Osasuna [which they won 2-0]. They are now without Andy Webster and Rudi Skacel and Paul Hartley and Jose Goncalvez are injured but I think they are strong enough to progress through this round.”

HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN (possible 4-4-2): C Gordon — R Neilson, C Berra, S Pressley, P Fyssas — D Cesnauskas, B Aguiar, J Brellier, N McCann — E Jankauskas, R Bednar.

Referee: E Bernsten (Norway).