Just days before the Europa League clash, Hearts' opponents have lurched into further crisis after their worst start in 19 years.
Both FC Zurich's president and captain have blasted the players as the club sit bottom of the Swiss Super League after failing to win any of the first five league games. The side only scored their first league goal of the season two minutes from the end of time in a derby game against minnows Winterthur on Sunday. To add to the disappointment, the Swiss outfit are actually only competing in Europe's second tier tournament play-off after being dumped out of the Champions League by Qarabag.
Robbie Neilson's Hearts team are set to travel to St Gallen for the first leg of the Europa League play-offs, with the match being played away from Zurich's home ground as the game clashes with a scheduled concert. And ahead of the match the club's president Ancillo Canepa and keeper and skipper Yanick Brecher have both demanded the players significantly step it up against the Scottish opposition.
Canepa - who only gave new manager Franco Foda a vote of confidence last week - said: "The match against Winterthur was a step backwards. The first half was one of the worst I've seen in many years. It's clear some key players from last season are obviously not in top form. The start we have made makes me sick to the stomach to be honest."
And FCZ captain and stalwart Brecher, who has been at the club for ten years, admitted they need to raise their game. He said: "The frustration is incredibly great. The only positive thing we can take away is that we didn't lose.
"What really upsets and disappoints me is our performance and how we went out on the pitch against Winterthur. We've been preparing for this important derby all week. But then they showed us what it means to go onto the pitch with passion and heart.
"Some of our players have to look closely at themselves, otherwise it won't get any better. We can't sugarcoat anything in our position."
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