Why Luzern WANTED to play Hibs as Conference League opponents ready for 'football festival'

FC Luzern manager Mario Frick is looking forward to a ‘football festival’ when his side meet Hibs in the Europa Conference League Third Qualifying Round.

After an abysmal display in the first leg of their tie, Lee Johnson’s side overcame their 2-1 defeat in Andorra as they beat Inter Club d’Escaldes 6-1 in an impressive Easter Road showing. A double from the returning Martin Boyle, Christian Doidge, two from Josh Campbell and the sixth from Elie Youan helped the capital side ultimately cruise through to the next round.

They’ll now travel in the second leg to Switzerland with a home clash at Easter Road in the first leg of the qualification tie. Frick, who scored for his native Liechtenstein at Hampden against Scotland in 2010, is ready to savour his clash with the Scottish Premiership side after his team overcame Swedish side Djurgarden.

He said: "We really wanted the Scottish club to go through because it will be a huge football festival in the two games against them. But we have to recover before we play them and we have an important game against a strong St Gallen side before then.

"We do need some recruitment as soon as possible. People say it was a struggle against Djurgarden because we were defending a lot in the second half, but you have to remember where we came from.

"A year ago we were in financial trouble and people were fearing for their jobs and our very existence. Now we are knocking out the Swedish runners-up. We got through because of willpower and I am really proud that we have progressed."