Hearts aflutter as AEK aim high

AEK Athens FC "can't wait for the match to start" having flown to Scotland in good spirits to take on ambitious Heart of Midlothian FC in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.

Major change
Runners-up to Olympiacos CFP in last season's Alpha Ethniki, AEK underwent a major change in the summer as coach Fernando Santos left to take charge of SL Benfica. Former Real Betis Balompié boss Lorenzo Serra Ferrer replaced him and is itching for a first taste of competitive action. "This is the week we have been looking forward to, ever since pre-season began," said the Spaniard. "It's time for our first test as we aim for the biggest and most spectacular competition in European football.

New signings
"We have all worked very hard," added Serra Ferrer, whose first signings included Finnish midfielder Perparim Hetemaj and Brazilian midfielder Gustavo Manduca. "We can't wait to start. We will give everything we've got to make our fans happy and raise the club's profile." Nor is Serra Ferrer the only coach eager to make a good impression in Europe with his new club at Murrayfield. Hearts, powered by Vladimir Romanov's investment, are seeking to replicate their fine Scottish Premier League form under Lithuanian manager Valdas Ivanauskas.

Flying start
Appointed in June after a spell as caretaker, Ivanauskas has made a strong start to the Scottish season, leading his multinational side to 2-1 victories against Dunfermline Athletic FC and champions Celtic FC - who finished 20 points ahead of Hearts last term. After the draw, Ivanauskas sounded confident enough, saying: "The Greek league is quite similar to Scotland where you have three big teams, Panathinaikos [FC], Olympiacos and AEK. There were bigger clubs in the draw."

Temporary home
Some, however, have questioned the wisdom of staging the first leg away from Hearts's home. Tynecastle will stand empty as the action unfolds at the larger Murrayfield, traditionally the seat of Scottish rugby. Lithuanian international Edgaras Jankauskas is concerned the fans might be "too far from the pitch" - but even more alarmed by the prospect of failing to get a result before the return in Greece on 23 August. "It's very important we don't concede and also score a goal because in Athens they will be waiting for us," he said. "I wouldn't say it is frightening but it is different when you play in countries that are further south, like Greece. I played against Panathinaikos in Athens when I was with [FC] Porto. It's a tough place to go."