Hearts fired Cercle Brugge warning as Miron Muslic targets second Scottish scalp after dumping 'long ball' Kilmarnock

Miron Muslic has warned Hearts that Cercle Brugge have the weapons to strike down a second Scottish side this season - despite missing £14m man Kevin Denkey.

The struggling Belgians knocked Kilmarnock out of Europa League qualifying before dropping into the Conference League themselves. And while Muslic expects Hearts to carry a completely different threat to “long ball" Killie in the Jan Breydel Stadium tomorrow night, he is confident his players will come out on top again.

Cercle are languishing in 14th position in the Jupiler League and, like Hearts, are without a win in their last three outings. They are also two points behind the Tynecastle side in the Conference League standings. To add to their woes Muslic is without “six or seven” first team players including the suspended striker Denkey who has agreed an MLS record £13.9m move to FC Cincinnati after finishing last season as Belgium’s top scorer with 28 goals.

But the 42-year-old Austrian said: “We are playing this beautiful game, first of all, to win. We want to enjoy this international adventure. I think we're also in a good position with four points. If we can manage to have a good performance tomorrow night and reward ourselves with points, we are in a very comfortable position in the Conference League. And for that, we need to find our limits tomorrow physically, technically and tactically.

“Then, if this is possible, we have all the weapons, the tools and the possibilities to go after Hearts and to play for the three points, knowing that this team is also here to perform. I don't think they will let the 3000 supporters over there just come here to see nothing.

“They have the obligation also to go all in, to go fully. And we are also prepared for that. We