Hearts player ratings vs Rayo Vallecano: 24 stars, top performers and new signings verdict in friendly win

Hearts won 2-1 in their latest pre-season friendly with Rayo Vallecano.

Amadou Ba-Sy found the net twice before half-time in an encouraging first 45 minutes for the Premiership side against La Liga opposition. Vallecano halved the deficit after the break in a match that served as one final warm-up game for new head coach Wouter Vrancken ahead of Champions League second round qualifiers versus Sturm Graz. It made sure they head to Austria for the first leg with a spring in their step as second half exertions allowed several stars to gain valuable minutes.

Friendlies with St Mirren, Kilmarnock, Livingston and Arbroath had built fitness within the Gorgie ranks but this was a step up in class that looked set for pushing them to the limit. Rayo Vallecano finished in the top half of Spain’s top flight last season and reached the Conference League final, the type of test Hearts needed, to fully equip themselves for what Sturm Graz may throw at them on July 21 and July 28.

Alexander Schwolow started between the sticks just hours after it was confirmed he’d depart for Bundesliga side Mainz on August 1. Christian Borchgrevink and Stephen Kingsley played full-back riles in Vrancken’s 4-2-3-1 system with Stuart Findlay and MJ Kamson-Kamara as centre-backs. Oisin McEntee and Tom Renaud operated as sitting midfielders and an attacking quartet of Josh McPake, Claudio Braga, Sabah Kerjota and Ba-Sy played ahead of them.

Vrancken was met with warm applause under the Gorgie sun as he took charge of Hearts in front of home fans for the first time but attention soon turned to seeing how his side coped with continental opposition. They almost conceded inside a minute as a loose pass allowed Vallecano through on goal but Schwolow was alert to deny danger twice when the goal opened up. It did so again through an attack down Hearts’ right but the German stood tall up against Alexandre Zurawski’s advances. McEntee almost knocked the ball home up the other end off a well worked set-piece and took a sore one when colliding with the post.

McPake had a lob cleared off the line too as chances flowed in plentiful supply. Ba-Sy soon made his name known to home supporters, warming up with a missed chance from close range, and then glancing in a McPake cross. Borchgrevink provided similar supply before half-time and again the French striker signed from Rouen nodded home. A raft of changes were made at half-time - including an entire XI swap by Vallecano - as the game became more friendly in nature as opposed to the first half’s frenetic tempo.

Sergio Camello pulled one back for the visitors after an hour with a deflected effort, while the rest of the Hearts bench was unloaded onto the pitch soon after, victory following 30 minutes later. The time for tinkering is now over and Vrancken now must decide on who he selects to take Hearts into European battle this Tuesday, and with the sizeable squad at his disposal, selection choices won’t come easy. Here’s how we rated the Hearts players vs Rayo Vallecano.