THE £6 MILLION JULE HEIST

HEARTS owner Vladimir Romanov joined forces with boss Valdas Ivanauskas to slam the dodgy ref they reckon cost the club £6million.

The Jambos crashed out of the Champions League at the qualifying stages in Athens last night in bizarre circumstances after midfielder Julien Brellier was sent off for two cautions, one of which was a yellow card for wearing a diamond earring.

Russian ref Yuri Baskakov infuriated Hearts with a string of ropey calls, and also dismissed midfielder Neil McCann for a second-half lunge, as the Scots side lost 3-0 in the Olympic Stadium.

Hearts will now drop into the first round of the UEFA Cup. But Romanov and Ivanauskas refused to contemplate even that consolation after the game as they rounded on the ref.

Romanov, who has already insisted his coach's job is safe, said: "Football should be about football, not turned into a show because of the referee.

"AEK might struggle in the group stages but our team gave a tremendous performance, even though our squad was hit by injury and illness.

"We played through this, and with nine players, and there is not a Greek player out on that pitch tonight I would have bought for my team, with the exception of Takis Fyssas.

"Of course we will be back in the Champions League next season if we can show the same fight we did tonight.Imagine what we can do if we have everyone fully fit and a referee who didn't come from Moscow.

"In saying that, I would also stop my football investment if Hearts ever played the way AEK did tonight."

Boss Ivanauskas, who saw his side fall 5-1 on aggregate, made for the referee at the end of the game, and had to be pulled away by his players as he laid into the official.

Ivanauskas reckons Baskakov was guilty of failing to perform his duties after the players were checked for jewellery before the match, which was won courtesy of a double from Julio Cesar either side of an Inkos Liberopoulous header.

Ivanauskas added: "The ref came into the dressing room before the game and checked if Julien's fingers were bandaged.He did not notice he had two earrings in, and then he brought it up on the pitch.

"Everyone in Scotland and other countries saw we played with heart and created good chances. I don't want to see that in referees - it's unbelievable what he was doing in such an important game.

"The ref checked the boots and rings and spoke with every player, and had even joked with Julien, and then showed the yellow card. "The players gave 100 per cent but the ref made sure this game was over."

Taken from the Daily Record