Injuries pile up ahead of Euro tie

EDGARAS JANKAUSKAS has been ruled out of Hearts' crunch UEFA Cup clash with Sparta Prague as assistant coach John McGlynn revealed the club are facing a midfield selection crisis.

The Lithuanian internationalist has been sidelined with a thigh problem since the second leg of the Champions League qualifier with AEK Athens in Greece and had hoped to be fit for this Thursday's tie. However, despite strenuous efforts on the part of the club's medical team it is likely to be at least another week before the former Porto player is ready for a return to action.

More of a problem for the Jambos, however, is the fact that Paul Hartley could be the only fully-fit, recognised midfielder, that has been playing regular first-team football recently. Saulius Mikolunias, Neil McCann and Julien Brellier are all suspended for the Murrayfield tie while Bruno Aguiar, Andrew Driver and Deividas Cesnauskis are struggling with a combination of injury and illness.

And that has left McGlynn and boss Valdas Ivanauskas with a huge headache as they try to plot Hearts' progression to the lucrative group stages of the tournament.

"Edgaras did his thigh after the AEK Athens game and he won't be ready," McGlynn revealed.

"We have Roman Bednar, Jamie Mole and Mauricio Pinilla although Michal Pospisil isn't quite ready yet either. But we do have a few options in there.

"Mikoliunas, Julien and Neil McCann make up three-quarters of our midfield, though, and that would leave us with only Paul Hartley.

"Bruno only did light running in training and is racing against the clock, as is Deividas.

"I would say that Andrew Driver is also touch and go at the moment with a wee injury. So we definitely have problems in midfield."

Those problems could, however, mean a rare first team start for Bosnian internationalist Mirsad Beslija who yesterday told the Evening News he would seek a move away from Hearts if he couldn't secure a regular place in Ivanauskas' plans.

The winger has started only three matches for the Tynecastle club since his record breaking £800,000 transfer from Racing Genk in Belgium more than eight months ago.

Fans of the Gorgie club have had only had fleeting glimpses of the winger who had been labelled as "the fastest player in Europe" prior to his arrival in Scotland.

But, with other options thin on the ground, Beslija could be handed a key role on Thursday evening.

"Mirsad is fit and available so the door could be open for him to show what he can do," admitted McGlynn. "If he is given a chance it's up to him to try and take it."

The crowd for the game against Sparta at Murrayfield is set to be swelled by a 100-strong contingent from the Royal Regiment of Scotland after they were invited to the tie by the club.

Hearts have a strong relationship with the regiment that can be traced back to 1914, when thirteen players became the first volunteers to join Sir George McCrae's famous battalion during the First World War. They were followed by several hundred supporters. During the Second World War this tradition was continued.

Meanwhile, Hearts' reserve team are in action against Inverness Caley Thistle this evening at the Caledonian Stadium. The match kicks-off at 7pm.

The Capital club will travel north with a strong squad and Christos Karipidis, Juho Makela, Marius Zaliukas and Andrius Velicka will all play at least some part in the match.

Taken from the Scotsman