Robbie Neilson insists Hearts can shackle star-studded Istanbul Basaksehir and Fiorentina - even if they have to put four players on Mesut Ozil.
The Jambos will face the Turkish and Italian big guns as well as Latvian champions RFS in the Europa Conference League after Friday's draw brought them together in Group A. Former Arsenal and Germany superstar Ozil is just one of a stack of big names heading to Tynecastle alongside his Istanbul team mate Nacer Chadli and Fiorentina trio Luka Jovic, Cristiano Biraghi and Giacomo Bonaventura.
And while a Europa League play-off defeat to FC Zurich on Thursday saw Hearts fall into the third tier competition and left fans deflated, Neilson insists trips to Florence and Turkey will soon pick them up. Asked who he’ll task with stopping Ozil the Jambos boss - who is close to signing midfielder Orestis Kiomourtzoglou from Dutch second division side Heracles Almelo - joked: "I'll need to pick about four of them I think!
“It's great to be going in at that level, for the boys to experience facing these guys who have been at the very top. We can go in with confidence. If we can match the intensity and belief of Thursday night then we can take teams on.
"I think it's a great draw. The trips will be brilliant for the fans.
“Fiorentina need no introduction. They have been one of the top teams in Europe for a number of years, they've played in all the tournaments and won trophies. Istanbul will be an unbelievable atmosphere, as you get in these places. For the fans, players and staff to experience it will be great.
“Latvia is a different country for us all and hopefully a chance to go and play well and pick up points. We're delighted to get into any European group stage. Where we have come from over the last few years, to take European football through into the winter months is great for the fans and players.
"Throughout Hearts' history, European group-stage football hasn't been a consistent thing. To do that is brilliant.”
Top seeds Istanbul finished last season fourth in the Turkish Super Lig and booked their group stage spot with a play-off victory over Antwerp. Fiorentina, seventh in Serie A last year, defeated FC Twente over two legs to take their place in Group A.
RFS won the Latvian championship and sneaked past Linfield on penalty kicks on Thursday to take their spot on the main stage. Neilson said: “We have earned the right to play group-stage football.
"These are great games. We want to bring these teams to Tynecastle under the floodlights with a big atmosphere and real intensity. We want to have a go like we did on Thursday.
"The two European games so far have been great for the players. It's that belief that you can play at that level because it's different from Scotland. It's up another couple of levels. To go away from home, perform well in large periods and then do so well at home helped the boys realise they are European players now.”
Hearts are back to Premiership action on Sunday at home to St Johnstone and are close to finalising a deal understood to be worth £350,000 for former Germany U21 international Kiomourtzoglou. Alex Cochrane and Toby Sibbick are suspended for the Saints clash while Craig Halkett is out injured and a question mark over Stephen Kingsley who will be given until the last minute to prove he has shaken off a hamstring problem.
Neilson insists the league games are as important if not more so than the Euro nights. He said: "We can't take our eye of it because it's the league that gets us into European group stages. They are as important if not more important than the European ties.”
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