Injury-prone Barasa to miss Hearts' Euro kick-off

HEARTS midfielder Nerijus Barasa is expected to be out of action for several weeks with a hamstring injury. The 28-year-old Lithuanian was forced to pull out of the friendly against FC Cluj in Austria just six minutes after coming off the bench.

It is the second hamstring strain Barasa has sustained since joining Hearts from Kaunas in January. "It is unlucky," said head coach Valdas Ivanauskas.
"Since he came to Hearts he has had one hamstring injury and now he has had another hamstring injury. He has had hard training sessions in pre-season and he knows how serious pre-season is. Now we need to wait for him.

"Psychologically for him it is very difficult now."

Hearts' pre-season tour of Austria ended with a 1-1 draw against the Romanian club. The team will now prepare for their friendly against Spanish club Osasuna at Murrayfield, before playing either Siroki Brijeg or Shakhtyor in the second qualifying round of the Champions League.

Siroki earned themselves a 1-0 away victory from their first-leg clash with Shakhtyor in Belarus on Wednesday night - with Bosnian striker Ivan Bubalo scoring the all- important goal for his side just short of the half-hour mark - and are now in pole position to earn a shot at Hearts at Murrayfield on 26 July.

Majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov has demanded Hearts qualify for the group stages of the tournament, as well as deliver the SPL title. And Czech striker Michal Pospisil believes it can happen after finishing last season as runners-up to Celtic.

"Presidents say you must finish first, but on the pitch it's 11 guys against you," said Pospisil. "I believe he knows football isn't as easy as writing it on paper. But I think it's good to be positive and set a challenge and want to improve."

Speaking to the club's official website,www.heartsfc.co.uk, he added: "Some guys expect that we will do much more than last season. I think we are a strong team so we can do it.

"Last season we showed that we are capable of holding Celtic and Rangers. But I also watch the other teams. Celtic and Rangers have bought some new players and Rangers also have a new manager - they can improve also. The season is long, the start is important and we must keep a good position with the two Glasgow teams."

Taken from the Scotsman