Hearts to face Fiorentina, Istanbul Basaksehir & RFS in Europa Conference League
- Published
Hearts have at least six Europa Conference League fixtures to look forward to
Hearts will face Fiorentina, Istanbul Basaksehir and Latvian champions RFS in Europa Conference League Group A.
Fiorentina were seventh in Italy's Serie A last season while Basaksehir finished fourth in Turkey's Super Lig and RFS won their first domestic title.
Hearts dropped into the Conference League after defeat to FC Zurich in the Europa League play-off.
Manager Robbie Neilson says facing Fiorentina is "the reason you get European football".
He told BBC Scotland: "They need no introduction at all. We looked at the names that were in the draw and if you were going to pick one to play against it would probably have been Fiorentina.
"Not just the experience of going over there but to have a team of that calibre and history coming to Tynecastle on a Thursday night under the floodlights the place will be absolutely rocking.
"This is the reason you get European football. It's to play against these huge European teams."
The group fixtures will take place on 8 and 15 September, 6, 13 and 27 October and 3 November.
Hearts, who were the first team drawn from the third pot of seeds, finished third in last season's Scottish Premiership and reached the Scottish Cup final. The club are returning to European group-stage football for the first time in 18 years.
Vincenzo Italiano's Fiorentina have won one and drawn one of their opening domestic fixtures and overcame play-off opponents Twente to reach the Conference League group stage, beating the Dutch side 2-1 on aggregate.
'We have aspirations to progress'
Basaksehir, managed by former Turkey, Inter Milan and Newcastle midfielder Emre Belozoglu, are unbeaten after three league games, winning two, and beat Israel's Maccabi Netanya, Iceland's Breidablik and Belgians Royal Antwerp in Conference qualifying.
Riga-based RFS, who are third in their domestic league after 25 games, defeated Maltese side Hibernians before edging Northern Ireland champions Linfield on penalties in the play-off round.
"My assistant Gordon Forrest knows a few guys [in Turkey] and they say [Basaksehir] are a very experienced team with a lot of internationals," added Neilson.
"We will be trying to find out a bit about [RFS] as they will be about us. Any of these teams at this level, it's going to be a tough game but it's one we are looking forward to.
"We have aspirations to do well in the group stage and hopefully we can progress."
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