HEARTS have turned down the chance of a pre-season friendly against Italian giants Juventus because they want to remain fully focused on their SPL opener against Hibs.
The Serie A side wanted to play the Jambos at Tynecastle just three days after the glamour tie with Barcelona at Murrayfield on July 28.
Claudio Ranieri's side are in Britain next week for warm-up games against Sunderland and Newcastle and were keen to arrange a game in Scotland to sandwich in between.
But with the club embarking on tours to Austria and Germany, each involving several matches, the Edinburgh club knocked it back because they felt they had enough on their pre-season schedule.
Assistant manager Stephen Frail : "It would have been nice to have been able to arrange a game and I'm sure the supporters would have loved it but you have to think about the players. It's probably not a bad thing to have the week after the Barcelona game to prepare for the start of the season. We've got two more games to play here and then we've got the Barcelona game to look forward to.
"The boys have worked hard and we just felt that we have already played a lot of games and having a week to make sure we are fit and ready for the Hibs game was more important.
"There is always a scope to arrange another game if we feel we need another one, whether it be a closed-door game, for that week if we feel it necessary." Defender Christophe Berra admitted games against Juve and Barcelona would have made for an incredible week but insisted that knocking the Italians back was the only option. He said: "We might have had Juventus as well but I think that a week's rest after the Barcelona game is probably a good thing.
"We've been on two pre-season trips and have already played a lot of games. Most days we've been training twice a day and it has been very hard work.
"Sometimes a bit of rest is good as well because it will give us a bit of a chance to work on the team shape and after the Barcelona game we will have a good week's training to build up for the Hibs game."
Hearts officials revealed today the team will play in front of its biggest ever crowd for a match in Edinburgh against European opposition when the Catalan side come to town.
The previous best of 37,500 was recorded in 1958 when Hearts played Belgian team Standard Liege in the club's first ever European Cup game, which took place at Tynecastle.
A spokesperson for Hearts said: "We're absolutely delighted that we will break an Edinburgh record lasting 49 years when we face Barcelona at Murrayfield Stadium.
"Nobody should underestimate that breaking this record proves what an exhilarating occasion playing Barcelona will be, come 28th July.
"Our players and supporters are extremely excited."
.....................................................................................................................
well i am extremely dissapointed with this, fuck barca i wanna see hearts and juve play, though i pity anyone sitting next to me as they will be covered in a creamy white substance as i fail to control my excitement.
The Serie A side wanted to play the Jambos at Tynecastle just three days after the glamour tie with Barcelona at Murrayfield on July 28.
Claudio Ranieri's side are in Britain next week for warm-up games against Sunderland and Newcastle and were keen to arrange a game in Scotland to sandwich in between.
But with the club embarking on tours to Austria and Germany, each involving several matches, the Edinburgh club knocked it back because they felt they had enough on their pre-season schedule.
Assistant manager Stephen Frail : "It would have been nice to have been able to arrange a game and I'm sure the supporters would have loved it but you have to think about the players. It's probably not a bad thing to have the week after the Barcelona game to prepare for the start of the season. We've got two more games to play here and then we've got the Barcelona game to look forward to.
"The boys have worked hard and we just felt that we have already played a lot of games and having a week to make sure we are fit and ready for the Hibs game was more important.
"There is always a scope to arrange another game if we feel we need another one, whether it be a closed-door game, for that week if we feel it necessary." Defender Christophe Berra admitted games against Juve and Barcelona would have made for an incredible week but insisted that knocking the Italians back was the only option. He said: "We might have had Juventus as well but I think that a week's rest after the Barcelona game is probably a good thing.
"We've been on two pre-season trips and have already played a lot of games. Most days we've been training twice a day and it has been very hard work.
"Sometimes a bit of rest is good as well because it will give us a bit of a chance to work on the team shape and after the Barcelona game we will have a good week's training to build up for the Hibs game."
Hearts officials revealed today the team will play in front of its biggest ever crowd for a match in Edinburgh against European opposition when the Catalan side come to town.
The previous best of 37,500 was recorded in 1958 when Hearts played Belgian team Standard Liege in the club's first ever European Cup game, which took place at Tynecastle.
A spokesperson for Hearts said: "We're absolutely delighted that we will break an Edinburgh record lasting 49 years when we face Barcelona at Murrayfield Stadium.
"Nobody should underestimate that breaking this record proves what an exhilarating occasion playing Barcelona will be, come 28th July.
"Our players and supporters are extremely excited."
.....................................................................................................................
well i am extremely dissapointed with this, fuck barca i wanna see hearts and juve play, though i pity anyone sitting next to me as they will be covered in a creamy white substance as i fail to control my excitement.
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cause juve are trecking too far north for my liking get them down to london god damn it!
maybe that will make up for it 
or do you think it his signal to rangers that he is still orange, inside and out?
