Claudio Braga reveals his Hearts frustration and transfer latest
Portuguese striker laments the midweek Champions League exit
Exiting the Champions League left Hearts striker Claudio Braga devastated following Tuesday’s 6-0 aggregate defeat by Sturm Graz. The Portuguese was eager to sample the league phase of Europe’s blue riband club tournament, but must instead console himself with the Europa League third qualifying round.
Even the chance to play Benfica in his homeland is scant consolation for a player who dreamed of the biggest stage. Speaking before Benfica’s second leg against St Gallen on Thursday evening, Braga gave his honest thoughts on the situation. “I wouldn't say I'm happy because, of course, I wanted to play in the Champions League. But it's a good team, a good time also to prove ourselves a little bit more. It’s a very good team, and going back to Portugal and playing in Portugal would be something special in a way - but it just can't be something that I'm happy with.
“That was one of my biggest dreams when I was a child. You dream about playing in the Champions League. Even though it was play-offs, it's just Champions League anyway, and now that it's over. We just can't think a lot about that. We have Aberdeen to play next and that's the only thing we need to focus on.”
New Hearts coach Wouter Vrancken is still blending in a new style of play after nine new signings this summer. The Belgian had just over three weeks to work with players between his appointment and the first leg against Sturm. “It can be a little bit early, even though we can't give excuses,” argued Braga. “If you see the games, it's not because we play worse than them or something like that, it's because we committed a lot more mistakes than them. Like I said, you pay for the mistakes against these teams.
“I feel like it's early of course, it's a lot of changes, a lot of new players, completely different style of play from what it was last year. It's hard to deal with all that in a small period of time, but we are paid to do this, so we should be able to do it. Most parts of the game we did it, with the message of the coach, and then it's just individual mistakes from our part, individual players, that we just need to not make.”
The Scottish Premiership opener at Aberdeen comes just four days after Graz celebrated a 2-0 second-leg win at Tynecastle. “I think we are ready,” stated Braga. “Like I told you, Stum Graz is a great opposition, it's a Champions League team, they are used to these stages. A lot of new players came without experience of this type of stuff, and a new style of play, everything new. Most of the game we show that we can be ready to play good football, exciting football. We still just need to make the goals and not make mistakes at the back. I feel that can be a good part of being ready.”
Vrancken is working on a more tactical approach with Hearts assistant coaches Tom Smolders and Cederique Tulleners. It is very much a work in progress with a group of players who are still gelling with one another. “I feel everybody wants to do well, of course,” explained Braga. “The style of play last year, you look a little bit more for the intensity in the game, and the focus was more on the intensity in the game and everything.
"This year is more like the tactical part, the way we play, and try to play good football, and just create a lot of chances, which we do. We created a lot of chances [against Sturm], it's just we didn't take them. The intensity, I think it needs to get a little bit better than it is, for sure. But I think we are playing good football, and we can do good things.”
How long Braga is around to take part in Hearts’ latest new era remains to be seen. He has a list of suitors including French giants Lyon, English Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town and the Turkish side Trabzonspor. Hearts want between £8m and £10m to sell. Asked if he expects to remain in Gorgie beyond the end of the summer transfer window, the 26-year-old was non-committal. “I have no idea about that,” he said. “I told this to everybody: If I go away, it’s something good for me and for the club. It's never going to be something only good for me. So yeah, of course I like to be here, I feel good here - and then the rest, let's see.”