Sergio unhappy with choice of official as Hearts face Dunfermline

Hearts are awaiting clarification from the Scottish Football Association for Brines’ decision to disallow an Eggert Jonsson “goal” for handling in the recent League Cup tie against Ayr United, which ultimately cost the Edinburgh club the game since they lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Sergio believes Brines should not be involved in a Hearts match until their questions are answered.

Vladimir Romanov, majority shareholder at Tynecastle, said earlier this week that lie detector tests could be used by Hearts and Sergio believes they could be useful in cases such as this.

He explained: “I have never worked with that but for some particular matters maybe it can be a good thing to introduce in football. I can tell you what is in my head but I don’t want to.”

Asked later if he was happy with Brines’ appointment as fourth official tomorrow, Sergio replied: “Now you understand what I had in my head before.

“I’m not happy with that. He (Brines) told me (at Ayr) that the linesman said to him it was hand ball. Now he is saying he saw the hand ball. So I am not happy to have him by my side. I am honest and I don’t see why I have to hide my feelings.

“I’m not happy to have him in Hearts’ game. Sorry. It is very hard for me to be out of the cup with a situation like that.

“I’m going to do my job. He is going to do his job, I hope. I don’t care about that. I have a team to lead and I want to win.”

Asked if he believed Brines had deliberately changed his story, Sergio said: “You can bring the lie detectors to me.”