OLYMPIC-SIZED TASK BUT WE'VE GORD TO BELIEVE

CRAIG GORDON last night admitted Hearts will need to pull off their best ever result in Europe to get through to the group stage.

The keeper is in no doubt about the size of the task his side face tonight after they were outclassed in the 2-1 first-leg defeat in Edinburgh.

But Gordon insists the Tynecastle side can triumph.

The Scotland No.1 said: "A win would be, without doubt, the biggest win Hearts would ever have had. It's not impossible. It's very difficult but there is still a chance for us to get to the group stage.

"There's a massive task ahead of us, we know that, but we will go there confident in our ability to get the win we need. We have got to get closer to them, shut them down and not let them play as much football as they did at Murrayfield.

"If we can do a bit better and maybe take a couple of chances then it's still there for us. It's going to take a huge effort from everybody and the conditions are going to add to that. But it was very hot when we played in Bosnia in the last round and we managed to come through that with a 0-0 draw.

"AEK are not long into their season and they might find it a bit difficult as well and hopefully we will be the fitter team."

Head coach Valdas Ivanauskas admitted the loss of striker Roman Bednar is a big blow.

But he could give Paul Hartley his first start of the season after the midfielder, back from a groin injury, came on as a second-half sub against Rangers last weekend.

Ivanauskas said: "Roman will be a big miss for us because he was in good form. We need to scan him to see how serious the injury is.

"If Paul is physically and mentally fit then he could start because he is an important player for us but we also have to be careful."

Taken from the Daily Record