Benfica manager Marco Silva recognizes the threat posed by Hearts as the teams prepare to meet in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie in Lisbon on Thursday night. This comes after Hearts narrowly missed out on their first top-flight title in over 60 years, losing to Sturm Graz by a significant margin of 6-0 during the Champions League.

Silva, who took over at Benfica from Jose Mourinho this summer after his stint at Fulham, noted his familiarity with the Scottish league’s competitiveness. “I’ve been in the Premier League for many years, and the Scottish league is something we followed last season,” he remarked.

“I even remember watching the last game and the amazing story about Hearts’ opportunity to become champions after so many years. Of course, it’s going to be dangerous,” he added, highlighting the potential intensity of the upcoming match.

He acknowledged the necessary adaptation period for Hearts, who have undergone significant changes, including a new manager. Despite this, he emphasized that the Scottish side was previously competing for a Champions League spot, asserting, “We respect them and respect the competition.” He also mentioned, “They are going to make our lives difficult for sure, and we have to be ready. We have to be at our best level to compete and to win it.”