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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
Sport
Alan Galindo

Josh Ginnelly in Hearts rally cry as he makes '100 per cent' Europa Conference League prediction

Josh Ginnelly is in no doubt that Hearts can reach the knockout stages of the Europa Conference League.

Robbie Neilson's men return to European action on Thursday night as they host Italian outfit Fiorentina under the lights at Tynecastle in matchday three of their section. The capital club have picked up one win and one defeat from the first two outings and know they could move five points clear of the Serie A side with victory in Gorgie.

Hearts attacker Ginnelly knows they have to start quickly and get at their opponents from the off on Thursday night. He is certain they have enough in the dressing room to get through to the next stage. They go into this one off the back of a 4-0 hammering by Rangers but the 25-year-oold has stressed it will be wiped from the minds with all focus on Fiorentina.

READ MORE: Hearts' Cammy Devlin sent 'really like him' message by Rangers boss van Bronckhorst after red card

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He told Edinburgh Evening News: “We watched some clips of Fiorentina from the RFS game. They have some great players and it’s a massive club, but we have enough in our changing room to get through the group. I believe that, 100 per cent.

“We know we can beat any team if we are on our game. A lot of the focus is on us. We need to respect Fiorentina, of course, but we are at home. We need to start quickly.

“The boys deserve credit for what we have done but it isn’t over yet. We got a man sent off in the Zurich game but every game in Europe is tough.

"You learn a lot more from it than you would playing against someone in this league [Scottish Premiership]. That’s no disrespect, but there are some unbelievable players in European competition.”

“Thursday is another big game. We need to wipe Saturday from our minds and learn from it quickly. Everybody wants to play in these Europa games, there is a special feel to it. At the same time, we are still taking the league seriously because that’s what got us there.

"We will analyse things from Saturday so that, when Thursday comes, we know what we’ve learned.”

READ MORE:

- Three things we learned as Hearts suffer bruising Rangers collapse and rue Cammy Devlin red

- Hearts star Craig Gordon heaps praise on Ryan Porteous as he aims to remain Scotland No1 for years

- Hibs and Hearts to battle it out for Women's Capital Cup with fans able to attend for free

- Hartlepool chairman in 'didn't know' Paul Hartley admission after axing former Hearts and Hibs star

- Hearts injury latest on Craig Halkett, Kye Rowles and Lewis Neilson as Robbie Neilson gives update

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