Aaron McEneff: Hearts star on facing AC Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic and bringing his best to Tynecastle

Hearts star Aaron McEneff is the type of player who is unlikely fazed by much in football.

Aaron McEneff tussling with Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the Europa League. Picture: Getty

The midfielder showed that earlier in the season against AC Milan in the Europa League.

His Shamrock Rovers side may have lost 2-0 in the qualifying match in September, but the 25-year-old showed up positively against the likes of Hakan Calhanoglu, Ismaël Bennacer and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

“It was a brilliant occasion for the club at the time," he told the Evening News.

McEneff started his first game on Saturday after making two sub appearances. Picture: SNS

"Playing against that quality of player, it was great to go and test yourself against them, both tactically and technically. I thought we acquitted ourselves really well in the game, we actually had chances

"With them players you know they can go to the next level. They got their second goal and started knocking it about, you knew they could just go up the gears.

“I think it helped Shamrock Rovers kick on for the rest of the season. No disrespect to other teams in the league, you might get that extra yard, your touch can be half off but against top quality opposition you don’t get that.

"Someone like Zlatan, you give him an inch and he’ll take a yard. It was a brilliant experience all round. As a learning curve for me it was brilliant.”

Doing his bit

McEneff made his first start for Hearts in the 1-1 draw with Greenock Morton on Saturday and nearly opened the scoring.

Having not completed 90 minutes since the end of the Irish season in December, the midfielder is still getting up to full speed and is keen to showcase his best to the fans.

“When the team is going forward I like to get forward and when the team’s defending I will get in and do my bit,” McEneff said.

“You get the wee aches and pains from training and the first few games but that is natural, you are going to get that. I’m naturally quite fit anyway so I can deal with that.

“I made the move because Hearts wanted me to be here, I wanted to be here and I want to help this team back into the top flight of Scottish football.

He added: "I plan to keep improving and working hard. I’m sure fans will see that in the coming weeks.”