ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE

REALITY seems in short supply at Hearts where injuries are diagnosed with a golden stick and a mysterious bloke wandering around in pyjamas has a say in team affairs.

But Michal Pospisil speaks with a healthy dose of perspective when he says the Jambos have a mountain to climb in Athens on Wednesday - and he's not talking about a tourist trip up the Acropolis.

Trailing AEK 2-1 from the first leg at Murrayfield, their chances of living a Champions League dream look as ruined as the ancient relics in the Greek capital.

But recognising the size of a challenge doesn't mean you have to believe it can't be overcome - and Pospisil reckons learning the lessons of the first leg can inspire a stunning fightback.

He claims Athens got LUCKY to leave Edinburgh in such a strong position thanks to a freak last-gasp goal and a questionable red card for Bruno Aguiar.

The Czech striker admits Hearts played badly on the night and showed their naivety at European level by giving the Greeks too much respect.

But now Pospisil reckons the time has come to knock AEK off that pedestal and have a go at them.

He said: "Athens have a big advantage from the first leg. But we showed in the first game that we can compete and had we kept 11 players on the field we would have won.

"We have nothing to lose so we can be open and play with more risk. If we score first maybe that will put AEK under more pressure.

"The Greeks were given too much respect at Murrayfield and we didn't play well in the first half.

"At half-time we said: 'Come on, this is our big chance.' So we started better after the break and when we got the first goal the players felt more confident, the supporters made more noise.

"I thought we would go on to win but the referee changed everything with that red card for Bruno.

"After that we played deeper and more defensive. In the end Athens were lucky with that deflection off Christophe Berra for the second goal.

"We didn't get the breaks but our inexperience showed a little - a team like Milan or Bayern Munich would have held that result at 1-0."

The stark admission that Hearts are still not ready to cut it at the top level I won't please demandingJambos owner j Vladimir Romanov.

The Lithuanian tycoon has whipped up a frenzy in Gorgie with predictions of . winning the European Cup within five years but his dream has created a rod for the players' backs.

Pospisil admits it was dangerous to start thinking about the group stages after being paired with AEK in the third qualifying round.

The Greeks may not be up there with the likes of AC Milan but Michal insists they are a formidable side.

Perhaps that message was directed at Romanov more than anyone else as failure to reach the promised land might prompt the Jambos owner into sacking Valdas Ivanauskas - his fourth manager in just over a year.

Pospisil said: "Maybe people expected too much because we are still gaining experience at this level.

"Had we been drawn against Liverpool people wouldn't have expected us to go through but Athens was considered a good draw.

"AEK have the experience of playing in the Champions League. They have good international players and showed their quality at Murrayfield.

"It's difficult to say if Athens are better than Celtic or Rangers because we are judging them on just one game." Hearts will land a place in the UEFA Cup if they lose to AEK but that won't be any consolation for Robbie Neilson (left). The defender reckons the tournament is DULL and is in no mood to settle for second best.

He said: "Before the first leg we spoke about the work put in last season to get a shot at the Champions League.

"We can't just let that go. People might say the pressure is off because we have the fall-back of getting into the UEFA Cup but I don't agree. It has lost a bit of its shine recently. "I know it's still a big tournament but the big teams don't really want to play in it - they want to be in the Champions League.

"I don't see any reason why we can't go to Athens and win.

"Even if they score we won't let our heads go down because we're always going to need at least two goals."

AEK's flit from the fearsome Nikos Goumas Stadium to the cavernous Olympic Stadium means Hearts will be spared the red-hot atmosphere Hibs faced in the 2001 UEFA Cup.

Back then a section of the Greek support burned American flags just a week after the September 11 terrorist atrocity and wrecked a minute's silence.

Things have now changed for the better although Greek full-back Takis Fyssas has warned his Hearts team-mates they will still face a fiery welcome.

Neilson said: "I spoke to Takis about the venue and he said it's great to be playing there as there is a running track around the stadium. The fans are a bit away and it will be less intimidating.

"He told me the supporters still make a lot of noise but it's nothing compared to what it used to be like."

Hearts will also want the match officials not to be weak. Neilson felt Danish ref Nicolai Vollquartz ruined the first leg by sending off Aguiar.

He said: "I hope the referee will be experienced enough not to be influenced by the Greek fans."

Regardless of the ref Neilson knows AEK have the ability to end his side's Euro dream. He said: "I was impressed with all their players at Murrayfield.

"They are strong and comfortable on the ball. It was a big step up in class for us and an eye-opener for some of the lads.

"In the SPL we are usually the bigger side that tries to intimidate teams. It showed us the work we still have to do to improve."

Neilson has hit the ground running in the new season and his consistency over the past two years has finally led to a Scotland call-up.

The right-back enjoyed being part of Walter Smith's get-together at St Andrew's last week and smiled: "A lot of Hearts boys are in the squad and that helped me settle in.

"I met a couple of new faces and played golf with Darren Fletcher, James McFadden and Lee McCulloch.

"Unfortunately I didn't win any money - I had a bit of a nightmare. "It was nice to be involved and I hope there are more to come."

One player who has yet to kick a ball for Hearts this season is influential Scotland star Paul Hartley. He has been out with a groin injury and is struggling to make it for Wednesday night.

Neilson said: "There will be a big push for Paul to be ready but we have to be careful he doesn't come back too soon and breaks down again.

"This is a massive game for the club but we need him for the whole season not just one match."

Taken from the Sunday Mail