HEARTS captain Steven Pressley last night told how he needed an armoured car to protect him and his teammates the last time he faced AEK Athens.

The Jambos will face the Greek outfit for a place in the Champions League group stage - if they can finish the job against Siroki Brijeg - after being paired with them in the third qualifying round yesterday.

Hearts go to Bosnia with a comfortable 3-0 first-leg lead and the Greeks could be all that stands between them and a potential jackpot of £6million. But Pressley remembers well his last encounter with AEK11 years ago when he was part of Walter Smith's Rangers side.

Rangers lost 2-0 in the first leg of the Champions League qualifier in Greece and 1-0 at Ibrox. And Pressley, who has already spoken to Greek teammate Takis Fyssas about AEK, says the Hearts players will never have experienced intimidation or hostility like this before.

Pressley said: "I remember the Rangers squad having to turn up for training in a full armour-plated vehicle akin to a prison bus because of the hostile nature of the Greek supporters.

"It was very hostile in the ground as well but it was one of the best atmospheres within a stadium that I have ever played in -it left a lasting impression on me.

"Takis told me AEK have moved from their old traditional stadium that I played in to the Olympic Stadium in Athens. Tak is expects up to 50,000 to turn up at the game so there would be a fantastic atmosphere.

"I think the players would revel in this. All the Hearts team should all be excited about the prospect."

Hearts would be at home for the first leg at Murrayfield on August 7 or 8 with the return leg in Greece on the 22nd or 23rd.

Despite the hostile nature of the draw, Pressley knows it could have been worse with the likes of Valencia, Liverpool, Arsenal or Ajax in the pot.

And he believes that, with Siroki out of the way, Valdas Ivanauskas' men can triumph against AEK to reach the money-spinning group stage in their inaugural Champions League campaign

Pressley said: "We definitely have the opportunity to progress. We know AEK are a very good side but if we can go through against Champions League stages.

"First we have to take care of business against the Bosnians on Wednesday night. We do not want to get ahead of ourselves but it is an exciting draw for us."

Boss Ivanauskas was staying tight-lipped about the draw, not wanting to tempt fate ahead of the rematch with the Bosnians.

However, the Lithuanian did concede the draw was kind to the Tynecastle club.

Ivanauskas said: "It is an exciting draw and a good draw for Hearts but I am not concentrating on AEK at the moment

"Once we have knocked out Siroki I will focus on them."

Meanwhile, Dundee United boss Craig Brewster, who played in Greece for five years, insisted Hearts are capable of seeing off the challenge of AEK- provided they don't crack in the red-hot atmosphere in Greece. Brewster said: "The Olympic Stadium can be a very intimidating place.

"Their fans are crazy. If you go to Greece on holiday you'll find the Greeks are perfectly nice people. But when it comes to a football match they just seem to lose the plot."

Brewster went back to Greece as a Hibs player in 2001 when Alex McLeish's side lost the first leg of a UEFA Cup clash with AEK before almost pulling off a dramatic victory at Easter Road.

He added: "AEK are a decent side who finished second in the Greek league last season.

"I know the president well and they're a very well-run club now. They've gone down the road of bringing in younger players after experiencing financial trouble.

"But I think all of a sudden Hearts have made a name for themselves. They got a good result in midweek and I'm sure they'll be ready for the challenge."

AEK ATHENS

FOUNDED: 1924

STAWUM: Olympic Stadium

HONOURS: Greek champions 12times, Greek Cup winners 13 times

COACH: Lorenzo Serra Ferrer

STAR PLAYER: Trianos Delias. The former Roma defender and hero of Greece's Euro 2004 campaign has returned to the club and will be a huge influence

SCOTTISH RECORD: Played 2, won 2 (against Rangers in 1994 and Hibs 2001) INTERESTING FACT: AEK and Greece's other clubs were thrown out of European competition last month when the Greek FA were suspended by FIFA following Government interference. However, the ban was lifted two weeks ago

Taken from the Daily Record