Bednar can tip scales for Hearts against Athens

VLADIMIR ROMANOV has issued a rallying call to the Hearts support ahead of tonight's visit of AEK Athens, claiming striker Roman Bednar is worth the admission money on his own.

Tynecastle's majority shareholder wants every Jambo available inside Murrayfield for this evening's first leg of the Champions League's final qualifying round.

He pinpoints Bednar, who has four goals in four games including Sunday's double in the 2-1 win over Celtic, as the principle attraction and insists every one of his players wants to take Hearts and their adoring fans to the next level of European football.

"Right now, Roman Bednar on his own is worth coming to watch the game," said Romanov. "Mikoliunas and Cesnauskis are really exciting, but I shouldn't pick out individuals.

"I want to say to our fans: We need each and every one of you to be at Murrayfield tonight. We are playing for you. If you are there you can give us the boost we need. If you are not, there is no sense for us to play. You were brilliant during last season. Let's unite and support our great team as much as we can."

Romanov was critical of the team's performance in Bosnia-Herzegovina last week, when they drew 0-0 in the second leg of the second qualifying round against Siroki Brijeg to go through on a 3-0 aggregate.

Yet he believes that the rise in Hearts' prestige brought by last season's Champions League qualification should entice new blood to the stands, particularly if AEK are overcome and the club takes its place in the lucrative group stage.

The Russian banker added: "I, myself, have every confidence. We have now got very good young players. For example Berra, Wallace and Mole.

"We're confident and we hope to see you all at tonight's historic game at Murrayfield. I hope new fans, too, will come to taste the atmosphere and become firm Hearts supporters after enjoying this game.

"This is our first serious test. We have a team of real European level visiting Edinburgh. This is a game where the stakes are very high."

New signing Hristos Karipidis could be in for a baptism of fire tonight as head coach Valdas Ivanauskas toys with the dilemma of whether to retain the central defensive partnership of Steven Pressley and Christophe Berra.

Karipidis, who joined for £200,000 from the Greek club PAOK Salonika last week, has intense knowledge of AEK's players and their capabilities.

Ivanauskas said today: "Karipidis is in the squad and we are looking at the situation. We already have some information on AEK Athens but it's possible he will play.

"His fitness is okay in my opinion and now it's important to get him integrated into the team."

Chilean striker Mauricio Pinilla is not in the Hearts squad, with Ivanauskas adding: "He is not fit. For me, the players' fitness is a vital part of football. Players who are 90 per cent fit are not ready."

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Tall will be out for four weeks after yesterday's scan on his damaged knee ligaments.

Taken from the Scotsman