CRAIG GORDON has conceded Fiorentina were just too good for Hearts as they dished out a tough footballing lesson.
The Tynecastle veteran admitted it was a difficult night for Robbie Neilson's men as the Serie A side cruised to victory.
Gordon did manage to keep the score down with some smart saves in the Europa Conference League tie but was helpless to prevent a comfortable victory for the visitors.
“We made it difficult for ourselves," Gordon told BT Sport after the disappointing defeat. "We never really got into the game.
“It’s a big lesson for us, we have to be ready to face that especially here at Tynecastle we want to do better.
“Unfortunately tonight we were up against a superior team and never managed to implement anything we wanted to do properly."
Asked why Hearts were unable to implement their game plan against the Italians, he admitted: “I think because of their quality.
"We wanted to get closer, we wanted to make tackles but sometimes you just have to say they were too good."
Hearts were already up against it when they were reduced to ten men with Lewis Neilson sent off for a tug on Luka Jovic.
But Gordon was adamant Jovic was not catching the through ball as he suggested the striker knew what he was doing as he went to ground.
“I think the ball is coming through to me," said Gordon of the incident. "I don’t think he’s catching it and that’s why he’s going to go to ground and look for something else. On this occasion, he’s managed to get it which finishes the game.
"I don’t know what else happened in the challenge but when he wasn’t going to reach the ball I think he knew what he was doing."
