Heart of Midlothian

Image source, SNS

• Rangers are unbeaten in 16 meetings with Heart of Midlothian in all competitions (W12 D4) since a 0-2 Scottish Cup quarter-final loss in February 2020.

• Hearts are without a win in their last 16 away games at Rangers in all competitions (D3 L13) since a 2-1 victory on the opening day of the 2014-15 Scottish Championship season.

• Rangers have won 18 of their last 20 home league games (D1 L1), including each of their last seven in a row, and all five so far in 2024-25.

• Hearts have accumulated as many points in four league games under Neil Critchley (7 – W2 D1 L1) as their previous 12 league matches before he joined combined (W1 D4 L7).

• Vaclav Cerny has scored four goals in his five home appearances in the Scottish Premiership for Rangers, including three in his last two. Those four goals are the most by any player for the club home and away in the league this season.

Image source, SNS

Sacked head coach Steven Naismith remains convinced he could have turned Hearts' fortunes around had he been given more time.

The former Scotland striker was dismissed in September after Hearts, who were bottom of the table, suffered an eighth straight defeat.

Naismith, 38, had led the club to third place last term, his first full season as a manager.

Speaking on The Warm-up, the SPFL's weekly preview show,, external Naismith said: "I don't think you know, or I certainly didn't know.

"I understood that you look at results and you go 'Right, if we can get a result here, if we don't that builds the pressure.'

"Inside I was probably thinking you'll get to the international break because it was three games there and they were probably games that you're more likely to look at and go, 'Right – we should win. Ross County at home, the European game and then a big one is going to be Aberdeen.'

"But even after the St Mirren game when we get beat 2-1, I'm sitting there really still believing that we can turn this around and I can make this better.

"And then when you have the phone call the next day that is what it is."

Naismith said he was "comfortable" with how things ended despite his disappointment, but believes Hearts would have improved once his summer signings had settled.

"There's a bit of frustration there because you do believe," he said.

"I thought we did a good job but at the cold end of it, pressure and demands are there and if you don't hit them you're going to lose your job and that's what happened, so I'm comfortable with it all.

"I think nobody complained about the recruitment over the summer.

"You sign players and you think at the start of a season, 'Brilliant, we've got this option, that option', but probably the bit you can't judge is how much time players are going to take to settle, especially when for nearly every player we signed, Hearts is a bigger club than where they came from."

We asked for your views on the 2-0 home defeat by Heidenheim that ended Hearts' 100% start in the Conference League.

Here's what some of you said:

Bryan: That's been the story of our season so far, play well and dominate but fail to take our chances and then we are made to pay. Can't fault the fight and dig at all though. The effort and application the manager is bringing out in us is fantastic and as soon as we start converting those chances, things will look a lot brighter.

Mark: We have had the same issues all season so far. Fantastic first-half performance from the team but due to lack of strikers we simply cannot score goals. Second half is always average. We are too predictable. I reckon we will still finish top six but there will be no European football next season. We need to sign a striker in January.

Paul: All the positive things that we do are overshadowed by a lightweight frontline. If your striker is a yard slow, missing sitters every week, then that's what you need to fix. We were a delight to watch for a good part of the game and could have won it, it's just frustrating.

David: For the most part we played well but yet again our failure in front of goal was our undoing. Last season's Lawrence Shankland would have converted at least two of his chances. Sadly he gets no support in the striker department and this must be addressed in the January window.

Chris: Frustration. No disrespect to our opponents but they were there for the taking. We bossed the game first half and had a very average second half, as is the norm. I feel that a higher press might have given us better results. So disappointed to lose, we are so soft in defence too often. Shankland's fall-off is one for the ages. What could have been.

Dillon: I think we played well, we just didn’t take our chances. On another day I feel we would beat them. Bang average in my opinion.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Craig Gordon rued an "opportunity missed" for Hearts on his 300th appearance for the club as they were kept waiting to ensure Conference League progress.

Hearts were on top against Bundesliga outfit Heidenheim in the first half at Tynecastle but could not convert their chances, and were punished after the break with goals from Sirlord Conteh and Jan Schoppner.

The 2-0 defeat ended Hearts' 100% start but they remain well placed in the top half of the Conference League table at the halfway stage.

Goalkeeper Gordon said: "We matched them for large periods of the game. We had chances first half and I think if we get our noses in front we give ourselves a great chance to win the game.

“There is definitely disappointment in the changing room as we had that chance but just didn't take it.

“There were a few tweaks (to the team set-up) and I thought it worked well. Especially in the first half with the chances we created. We moved the ball well and restricted them to very few attempts on our goal.

"It would have been nice to get to nine points on Thursday night. If we had managed to do that it would have guaranteed us at least the play-off round.

"That's an opportunity missed. But we still have three games to try and get the points necessary and finish as high as we can up this table."

Gordon turns 42 on 31 December but has reclaimed the number one spot at Hearts this season from Zander Clark and also started Scotland's last two games in the injury absence of Angus Gunn.

"There has been many injuries, plenty of times I have been written off and people saying that will be the end of my career, but I have managed to come back," he added.

"It will be my own decision one day when I hang up my gloves. I'm still trying to give everything I possibly can to be successful."

Bundesliga side Heidenheim edged out Hearts at a raucous Tynecastle to maintain their 100% record in the Conference League and end that of their hosts.

The Edinburgh side sit second bottom of the Scottish Premiership, but dictated play against their German visitors in the first half without finding the way to goal.

After suffering nearly an hour of pressure, Heidenheim found the goal that overcame Neil Critchley's side when Sirlord Conteh cushioned a header beyond Craig Gordon after a blistering attack.

The hunt for the equaliser was timid, and in a rinse and repeat move for the visitors, Jan Schoppner glanced in to silence the home fans.

Give us your say on the performance and the match here., external

Image source, SNS

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley tells BBC Scotland: "I really appreciated the supporters cheering us off the pitch because it means a lot and showed they appreciated our performance.

"I don't think they're happy, we're not happy, we can never be happy when we lose but I think we played with real aggression, real purpose.

"It was arguably as good as the Omonoia game, we just didn't take our chances tonight when we were on top and when that happens, you always run the risk of being punished and we were by two minutes of real quality.

"Physically they are very good, landing on second balls, they've got pace and power on the break which they showed and you know you're not going to dominate a team like that for 90 minutes, you're going to have to defend well in moments of the game.

"When you're on top you have to make sure you take those chances and be clinical and unfortunately we've not done that tonight.

"The game is not always going to follow the same pattern for 90 minutes when you're playing against good teams.

"It would be foolish and naive of us to think at half-time we would just come out and the same things were going to happen.

"I wasn't disappointed with how we played tonight at all, I'm just disappointed with the result."

On Lawrence Shankland: "It's not falling for him. I thought he was excellent tonight, his all round performance, the way he held the ball up, he led the line, he brought others into the game... we were all desperate for him to score.

"We'll keep believing in him. I saw Steve Clarke say they're going to give him a bit of love and that will be a big boost for him.

"He will score goals, he will."

On where Hearts are in this Conference League: "I think we're in a good position. If you said before the competition we'd be six from nine, I think you'd have gone we might settle for that.

"Not before tonight of course, though.

"If we keep producing that level of performance with that mentality then I think we will win games of football."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

European exploits have been a welcome distraction for Hearts this season, given their dismal start domestically has them languishing at the foot of the Premiership.

They continued that trend in a relentless first-half performance where they pulled their German visitors across the pitch.

They were particularly good down the left, where Penrice and Yan Dhanda stretched Schmidt’s side and tore down to the byeline.

Critchley’s side held a high line and delivered waves of attack but lacked a clinical edge time and time again.

That's been the story of Shankland's season. As each game goes by, he looks more and more of a player playing with an unmanageable weight on his shoulders.

If he's not scoring, Hearts aren't scoring. And Shankland is a shell of the star striker we've become accustomed to.

Everything he touched turned to goals last season, this season, everything is ending up anywhere bar the back of the net.

Particularly in the first half, Malachi Boateng was again extremely impressive in the Hearts midfield. He's proving to be a real bargain.

His near goal-line clearance in too was crucial at the time.

Image source, SNS

Seb Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic's German football correspondent, tells the BBC's Scottish football podcast about the remarkable rise of Hearts' Conference League opponents Heidenheim.

Read more: Will Heidenheim fairytale continue at Tynecastle?

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Before the final international break of the year Hearts have two matches which, if all goes to plan, could set the Jambos up for an exciting end to 2024.

First up is the visit of Heidenheim to Tynecastle in what should be another enthralling night of football under the lights.

The Bundesliga side arrive in the capital on a poor run of form with only one win in their last six matches. That came against Cypriot side Pafos in this Conference League campaign.

However Heidenheim, like Hearts, know a victory on Thursday is likely to guarantee at least a play-off spot for a last-16 place early in the new year.

Hearts complete their big week with a trip to Ibrox on Sunday to take on Rangers, who have also had a troubled start to the season.

The Ibrox club incredibly sit nine points behind leaders Celtic and Aberdeen and have dropped 11 points in their opening 10 league matches. Can Neil Critchley's side add to Rangers' woes?

For Hearts the announcement this week of a financial loss of £1.2m should come as no surprise given the lack of European football last season.

However, there is a belief from all within Tynecastle that the financial deficit declared will be no more than a blip and the figures up to the end of June next year will be much more positive.

Kye Rowles is eager to help goalkeeper Craig Gordon win his 100th clean sheet for Hearts in his 300th appearance for the club against Heidenheim on Thursday. (Record), external

Heidenheim were still in Germany's amateur leagues when Hearts faced Bayern Munich in the Tynecastle club's famous 1-0 Uefa Cup win in 1989, though they could not complete an aggregate victory. (Scotsman - subscription), external

Meanwhile, Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt is concerned Hearts' aggression and energy may catch his side off guard in Thursday's Conference League encounter. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Image source, SNS

• Hearts and Heidenheim both won their opening two Conference League games, with the Edinburgh side sitting sixth and the Germans in ninth having scored one less goal.

• Hearts sit second bottom of the Scottish Premiership but have only lost once in five outings.

• Heidenheim are 12th in the Bundesliga and have only won once in six outings.

• Hearts have won three and lost six of their nine matches against German opposition, while Heidenheim have never previously faced a Scottish side.

• Hearts have won three and lost two of their home games against German visitors, losing the most recent - 1-0 to Schalke 04 in the 2004 Uefa Cup group stage.

• Cassio Lincoln scored Schalke's winner at Murrayfield Stadium after Hearts' Patrick Kisnorbo was sent off.

• Hearts last defeated a German side in the 2000 Uefa Cup, when the Edinburgh side beat Stuttgart, who finished with nine men, 3-2 but went out on away goals.

Image source, Getty Images

Heidenheim head coach Frank Schmidt says it's "unbelievable" to be leading his hometown side out against Hearts on Thursday in the Conference League.

Schmidt has been in charge since 2007, but his association with the club stretches even further back after joining as a player over 20 years ago.

"It is an incredible journey which has taken a long time," said Schmidt, whose side host Chelsea later this month. "It goes all the way back to lower leagues where I started as a player. I had a beer after every game, and even after training!

"I took over as coach in the fifth division. If someone told me that 17 years later, we would be in the Conference League, we would have needed to do some sort of mental examination.

"I'm not really thinking about how incredible it all is. It's more that we deserve to be where we are. We are always striving to improve. Although we come from a small place in Germany and we don't have a huge history in professional German football, we still deserve to be where we are.

"It's exciting for me. Alex Raaf, our team manager, started with me together as players in the sixth division. Now we are sitting here ready to play against Heart of Midlothian. It's unbelievable."

Image source, SNS

Neil Critchley has challenged Hearts to replicate Celtic's European success by also beating Bundesliga opposition when they host Heidenheim in the Conference League.

Brendan Rodgers' Celtic came from behind to defeat RB Leipzig 3-1 at Parkhead in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Hearts, who have won three of their previous four Tynecastle meetings with German sides, are aiming to maintain their perfect Conference League start on Thursday.

"I watched that game last night and I thought Celtic were very good," said Critchley.

"A similar result would be nice. Celtic were fully deserving of their victory, so hopefully we can be the next Scottish team to win against German opposition."

Hearts have faced Czech, Belarusian and Cypriot sides in their European campaign so far, but Critchley says the prospect of the Tynecastle club meeting a German team for the first time in 20 years adds an extra dose of excitement.

Heidenheim are in Europe for the first time after finishing eighth last term in what was their first-ever season in the Bundesliga following their remarkable rise from the German seventh tier.

Their manager Frank Schmidt has been in charge since 2007, when they were in the fifth tier, and his team currently sit 12th in Germany's top flight.

"It does create that little bit more anticipation in the type of game you might be playing and seeing how good they are," he added.

"We know we're in for a big test, but if we can play the game we want to play then we know it'll be a really good game."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Head coach Neil Critchley has been talking to the media prior to Hearts' Conference League match against Bundesliga side Heidenheim.

Here are the key lines:

• He says his side are "refreshed" and "ready for a big challenge" at Tynecastle on Thursday.

• Critchley has faith in his team to continue their perfect Conference League start if they can "play the game we want to play".

• The Hearts boss says Heidenheim's rise from Germany's seventh tier has been "incredible" and "unbelievable".

• Although Critchley says "you could say they're not in a great moment," he feels they are "very hard to break down" and "very dangerous" on the counter-attack.

• He adds that Hearts must ensure they are "very good with the ball" - and if they lose it, "make sure we're losing it in certain areas" as Heidenheim will break with "aggression and intensity".

Neil Critchley has not ruled out January signings despite chief executive Andrew McKinlay saying the Englishman is looking to work with a smaller squad and the Hearts head coach has revealed that he has been involved in the early transfer window preparation last week. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Beni Baningime admits it is weird to finally be playing under Neil Critchley, four years after snubbing the new Hearts head coach when the midfielder rejected a move from Everton to Blackpool. (Football Scotland), external

Glasgow's Subway will remain open for fans of Rangers and Hearts following Sunday evening's Scottish Premiership fixture at Ibrox, where the sides will kick-off at 17:00 GMT. (The Herald), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

The only thing that mattered last Saturday was Hearts managed to finish the week with a victory and are off the bottom of the table.

Following the momentum-halting loss at Tynecastle to Kilmarnock last Wednesday, head coach Neil Critchley had to ensure the side bounced back with a win up in Perth. We played well in large spells but as soon as that controversial VAR intervention for the penalty went against us, we looked nervy for 15 minutes or so after.

Thankfully for us, Beni Baningime channelled his inner Zinedine Zidane and decided to dribble past half the St Johnstone side before laying on a plate a ball for Kenneth Vargas to slot in our winner and take the three points back down to Edinburgh.

Vargas has come under flack this season, especially after his miss against Aberdeen, but his composure has certainly improved and Lawrence Shankland will be hoping his fortunes turn in his favour with regards to getting the ball in the back of the net.

It's now at the period where Shankland and Critchley will start to wonder when the next goal will come, especially with the tough run of fixtures coming up starting with Heidenheim at Tynecastle on Thursday.

There's no doubt Shankland will lead the line against the Bundesliga side, but you'd imagine opportunities at goal will be at a premium. It's really exciting to think a victory would very likely take us into the next round of the Conference League and we'd have continental action to look forward to after Christmas for the first time since 1989's UEFA Cup clash with Bayern Munich.

The bean counters at Tynecastle would happily welcome more money coming into the club following the publication of last year's financial results. It's been reported that there's a financial deficit of £1.2 million in operating losses and that's been attributed to the lack of European group stage action last campaign.

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke discusses Lawrence Shankland's inclusion in the latest national squad, despite only scoring once for Hearts so far this season.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Beni Baningime made the difference for Hearts as they earned a gritty win at St Johnstone. His run for the second goal was superb.