Hearts defender Jordi Altena has spoken candidly about the club’s Champions League exit following a brutal 6-0 aggregate defeat to Sturm Graz.
The Austrian side completed the thumping with a 2-0 win at Tynecastle on Tuesday night, ending Hearts’ European ambitions at the qualifying stage.
The result stands as Hearts’ heaviest ever defeat in a two-legged European tie, a record that will sting the Gorgie faithful for some time.
Manager Wouter Vrancken had only four weeks of preparation with his squad before facing Graz, and the Jambos looked underdone across both legs of the tie.
Despite controlling possession for large spells in both matches, Hearts were outclassed in the penalty areas as Sturm Graz converted their opportunities while the Edinburgh side squandered theirs.
The defeat drops Vrancken’s side into the Europa League qualifiers, where they face a third round tie away to either Benfica or St Gallen next Thursday.
Altena did not attempt to hide his frustration after the final whistle, reflecting on a performance that failed to match what the squad had set for themselves.
The Dutchman said: “Just disappointed. I think we expected more from ourselves. We showed some good moments in both legs. At the end of the day, you need to score. And I think if you score, you make it much easier for yourself. That’s what we didn’t do.”
Altena also acknowledged that the condensed pre-season had not helped, particularly given the number of personnel changes at the club this summer.
He added: “It was a short preparation, I think that didn’t help, especially when there have been a lot of changes. But at the end of the day, it’s just disappointing that we didn’t get more.”
Vrancken has been cautious about integrating his new signings against Graz, with Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Calvin Miller and Sabri Guendouz among those handed starts on Tuesday night.
Amadou Ba-Sy, Tom Renaud and Laurent Mendy are all pushing for places ahead of Saturday’s Premiership opener at Aberdeen, adding further competition to the squad.
Goalkeeper Beau Reus is also in line for a debut at Pittodrie following the departure of Alexander Schwolow, potentially signalling a significantly changed lineup from Tuesday.
Saturday’s trip to face Aberdeen at Pittodrie represents a chance for Hearts to reset quickly and remind the division of their title-challenging credentials from last season.
Despite the European disappointment, the 22-year-old Altena remains firmly convinced the squad has the quality and mentality to turn things around this Premiership campaign.
He said: “Very confident. I think we showed some good moments on Tuesday, also last week. We need to build on that, and I think we as a group are very confident to keep going.”
Altena also pointed to the natural adjustment period that comes with a new manager installing his ideas and philosophy into a reshuffled group of players.
He said: “It’s been quite a change. For sure it’s a new manager, so a new feel on the game, how he wants to play. Of course, that takes some time to sink in. But, again, I think we can do good things together, so I’m confident.”
The defender was clear that the squad’s self-belief remains intact despite the European setback, insisting their ability is not in question.
He said: “We know what we’re able to do and what we can do. So that’s the base of everything.”
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