Aguiar gives nod if Hearts show ambition

Aguiar's assertion that European football will be a factor in his future adds extra significance to the match. The player said he will not discuss contract terms with Hearts just now for fear of compromising his concentration during the season's most crucial phase. His agent, Paulo Barbosa, has liaised with Vladimir Romanov and the Tynecastle hierarchy but Aguiar will wait to determine the prospects for Europe before deciding his future.

"If the club is in Europe I think it is easier for me to stay here, definitely," he told the Evening News. "If the club cannot make the Europa League, maybe they will want changes. I don't want to think about that too much just now. I want to stay at Hearts but I want to put them into the Europa League along with my team-mates. At the moment, nothing (has happened]. My agent is maybe speaking to them but I don't want to speak now.

"If Hearts want to speak with my agent, it's okay. I am only 100 per cent concentrated on the games. When we finish the season I have time to look to the future, but for the next few months I will not speak with anyone. I have a contract with Hearts and I must give my best for the club."

A prospective Europa League campaign would represent the zenith of Hearts' season. One of three routes to the reformatted UEFA Cup disappeared with last week's Scottish Cup defeat to Falkirk, leaving a third or fourth place league finish as the be all and end all.

Aberdeen's European aspirations are encouraged by the extra avenue available to them. The men from the north remain involved in the Scottish Cup, the winner of which secures a coveted place in the last of the Europa League's four qualifying rounds.

Third place in the SPL remains Hearts' best bet given that it provides entry to the third qualifying round. Fourth place earns a spot in the second qualifying round, meaning three potentially draining two-legged ties before the tournament's group phase.

The Europa League's qualifying dates also reinforce the merit of finishing third as opposed to fourth. The second qualifying round, first leg, takes place on July 16, a time when Scottish clubs are typically in the middle of their pre-season preparations. On that date last year Hearts were preparing to fly to Germany for a ten-day pre-season tour, so summer schedules would require to be brought forward several weeks. The more preferred third qualifying round begins on July 30.

Having had their Scottish Cup adventure stopped in its infancy, it is clearly in the interests of everyone at Tynecastle to finish the campaign as the best of the rest in Scotland. "Now every player is looking at this possibility," said Aguiar, who likened this season's situation to that of three years ago, when Hearts were pressing for unprecedented entry to the qualifying rounds of the Champions League.

"It's the same pressure, we are playing for the Europa League and we know it's very important for the club. Every player wants to play in that tournament next year. Three points tomorrow is very important for that, everybody knows this. I think this club deserves to be in Europe and every player must think about playing for that. Tomorrow we will play with that in mind because three points is most important. This is like a final for us. We must regard the game like that.

"We lost our last two games (against Hamilton and Falkirk] and sometimes you must look at why you did not win. The referees made big mistakes in these last two games but now we must forget this and look to the future. When you play against other clubs from other countries, the football is different. It's a good experience for any football player. I like European games and I like playing here. After my injury I just enjoy every game now."

Aguiar makes a poignant reference to the training ground tackle by former team-mate Julien Brellier which cost him 18 months of his career. "I was out for a long time. It was not my mistake because I could do nothing," he said. "If I could not play because I was in a disco or something like that, then okay. But it was a very bad tackle and a very bad injury, I could do nothing. The club helped me, now I must help them as well.

"My point now is only to help Hearts. I don't want to think about nothing more because Hearts gave me the chance to play outside my country and I must give everything for this club. I know it's too easy to speak but I must try to show on the pitch that I want to get Hearts to third or fourth place."

An emotional and expressive player, Aguiar admitted he crossed the line last month with manager Csaba Laszlo after being substituted during Hearts' defeat of Inverness Caledonian Thistle. He reacted angrily to coming off that afternoon but will remain one of the team's most influential players during the European pursuit.

"Sometimes the coach is right, maybe if I don't play well I must come off early," he said. "If I leave the pitch smiling I think it is not professional. I must control my attitude. I made one mistake and I think everything is past now. It's forgotten. When I came off I did this but after the game I forgot about it. I want to play, that is normal, if you take me off and I want to stay on the pitch it's normal that I am a little bit angry. After ten minutes I calmed down, it's no problem now.

"We must win tomorrow. If we want to look at Europe, we must beat Aberdeen. If you qualify you have the chance to play European games. This is very important for the young boys here who have not played in that environment. It will put Hearts at a good level."

If achieving the desired aim convinces Aguiar to hang around in Gorgie, Hearts will have double cause for celebration.

Taken from the Scotsman