Ready for battle

AEK ATHENS manager Lorenzo Serra Ferrer today declared he was prepared for a Champions League battle with Hearts.

The Greeks will likely face Valdas Ivanauskas' side in the final qualifying round of the Champions League next month after they were paired together at yesterday's draw in Switzerland.

Hearts are in pole position to face the Greeks as they take a 3-0 lead into the away leg of their second-round qualifying tie against Bosnians Siroki Brijeg

The next tie will be Ferrer's first serious assignment at AEK since replacing Brazilian Fernando Costa Santos as manager last month. And he has already fired a "no excuses" warning to his squad with a place in the lucrative group phase awaiting the victors.

"I will watch Hearts play soon," said the Spaniard. "It is no disadvantage that we are away from home in the first leg. We have to accept that because in these kind of games we can't use excuses. Our mentality must be strong, with courage and be solid. If we believe that the other team has an advantage then we have lost our own."

Ferrer cleverly dismissed the notion that his club are favourites ahead of Hearts, adding: "I believe that everything can happen. We'll treat these games with a lot of respect, although we know that Hearts have to play one more game against the Bosnian side. Their 3-0 win at the first game makes us think that Hearts will be our opponent.

"I wouldn't like to think that we have more chances to go through. I already said that we have a lot of respect for them and we are fully focused. One think I can say is that I am sure they are not more willing to get to the group stages and they don't have greater passion than we do. The two games will be balanced and I would say both teams have a 50-50 chance to be at the group stages. But that's the theory. Only on the field will you can see the difference and the determination."

With less than two weeks until AEK are due in Edinburgh for the first leg, Ferrer surprisingly conceded that his squad was not fully prepared.

He said: "We aren't fully prepared yet but isn't that normal? The team is working very well, my players try a lot, and they have a vision. They always want to learn new things. Off course we can improve. There are plenty days in front of us so we can improve."

Tynecastle defender Christophe Berra insisted Hearts can book their place in the group stages of the Champions League.

The 20-year-old star said: "Because we did well last season we are seen as a big scalp now and all of the other teams will be determined to beat us. We have got a lot to prove, we want to show that we are not one-season wonders and I think we have got the players and the capabilities of doing that.

"The job is only half done against Siroki though and we have got to go over there and make sure we get through. If we do, then I think you've got to say that we've got a chance of progressing. They are a big team but we are getting bigger and better as every season passes. It could have been much worse for us, we could have drawn Real Madrid, Liverpool or Arsenal.

"There's no getting away from the fact that it is going to be a very difficult game for us no matter what."

Meanwhile, Hearts are set to rake in £1.6million after agreeing to sell midfielder Rudi Skacel to Southampton. The Czech was expected to be unveiled at St Mary's this afternoon prior to a friendly match with one of his former clubs, Panathinaikos.

Taken from the Scotsman