‘Hurtful’ - Lee Johnson makes Hibs admission in FC Luzern warning

Lee Johnson wants to see a re-energised Hibernian side against Luzern in the second leg of their Europa Conference League tie on Thursday night.

The Leith side are 3-1 ahead from the first game of the third qualifying round at Easter Road last week but it was a positive result sandwiched between cinch Premiership defeats to St Mirren and Motherwell.

The Hibs boss noted a downturn in the 2-1 loss at Fir Park at the weekend and asked what needs to change in Switzerland, Johnson said: “Energy. (I used the) evidence of my eyes.

“In that three-day period we have gone from showing absolute identity in the Luzern game to no identity at all and obviously that is pretty hurtful as a coach.

“Of course there are reasons for it, some people say excuses and sometimes there are excuses.

“There was no excuses but there was physical reasons on the data and the data showed that, the physical output was down from the Thursday to Sunday, not even close.”

A glamour tie against English Premier League side Aston Villa awaits the winners but Johnson said: “We can’t look at that. We have too much to do.

“We have to narrow our focus on to this game and this game only.”