Halliday Warns Hearts of Tough Match Against Benfica in Europa League
Andy Halliday has expressed that former club Hearts will face a significant challenge against “Champions League outfit” Benfica in the upcoming Europa League third qualifying round. The Portuguese team is set to host the Tynecastle club in the first leg on Thursday.
“They’re a Champions League outfit,” Halliday remarked during an appearance on the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast. “I think they’ve proven that over the years.”
<p”Last year, they reached the play-off round in the Champions League. Rangers have faced Benfica several times recently and have often struggled against them, with a few draws peppered in.”
Reflecting on Hearts’ current situation, Halliday noted, “Take Hearts in the present moment, not being at their strongest either, and even if they were at their strongest, I think it’s going to be a difficult evening.”
He concluded with a cautious outlook, stating, “And unfortunately, and I really hope I’m wrong, I think it’s going to be a big scoreline tonight.”