Hearts will return to Spain for a warm-weather winter training camp during the World Cup break.
The Jambos are heading back to La Cala - the same resort they used during pre-season - as they bid to get the players refreshed and ready to go for the second half of the campaign. The capital club also hope to play a game during their trip and another fixture when they return before focus returns to competitive action.
It's been a tough period for the Gorgie side with Europa Conference League football on top of domestic Premiership matters. That with a mounting injury list has stretched Hearts to their limits with a final European game in Istanbul to come later this week before the final three league outings before Qatar 2022 takes centre stage.
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Despite the recent poor run of results, Neilson and Co are just three points behind rivals Hibs in third spot - with a game in hand. The players will get immediate time off following the final game with Livingston on November 12. They will return to Riccarton before jetting out to Spain between November 30 and December 7.
Speaking to Edinburgh Evening News, Neilson confirmed: “We are going back to La Cala. The boys will get some time off and then we will go out there for a week. We hope to get a game organised out there and another game when we come back.
“It's a good facility with everything we need, pretty far out of the way, the pitch is good, the hotel is good and the gym is good. We just feel it will be good to go back there. The boys will be comfortable with it and get a good week's training.”
The Premiership closes down on the weekend of November 12/13 and returns on December 15 when Hibs make the trip to face Rangers at Ibrox. The World Cup itself begins in just under three weeks time on November 20 with the final on December 18.
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