Former Hearts loanee Donis Avdijaj has helped set up a Europa League showdown with his former club after bagging a brace for FC Zurich.
The Kosovan international put them ahead after just ten minutes of their third round qualifying second leg versus Linfield, then notched another to put the Swiss champions 3-0 up on aggregate against their Northern Irish counterparts. The Blues' chances of progressing were slim after a 2-0 defeat at Windsor Park last Thursday. Tosin Aiyegun and Wilfried Gnonto goals meant Zurich were always the likely opponents for Robbie Neilson's men.
That's now been confirmed after Avdijaj's double and Ivan Santini's effort saw them run out 3-0 winners in the return leg (5-0 agg) to book their spot in the Europa League playoff round. They now stand between the Jambos and lucrative group stages of the competition, which will see them rake in millions. However, both are safe in the knowledge that defeat won't end their Euro dreams, with the losers dropping into the group stage of the Europa Conference League.
Avdijaj endured a miserable time on loan in Gorgie back in 2020. He was former boss Daniel Stendel's first signing in the January transfer window, and arrived telling everyone that he'd scored in "every city" he'd played in until then.
The Scottish capital was not added to that list. Avdijaj made just three appearances in maroon and didn't manage to get on the scoresheet as Hearts ended up being demoted to the Championship after the SPFL season was cut short due to Covid.
He'll return to Tynecastle with a point to prove however as he looks to fire Zurich into the next round. Neilson will take his team to Switzerland on Thursday, 18 August for the first leg of their encounter. The game is being played at St Gallen's Kyburnpark, 39 miles from Zurich. Their usual home ground - Letzigrund - is out of commission due to hosting a concert the following evening.
Then it's back to Gorgie for the second leg a week later. It will be Hearts' first Euro tie for six years. They last faced Maltese minnows Birkirkara in European competition, but suffered a humiliating defeat to the part-timers. A 0-0 draw was followed up with a 2-1 loss in Edinburgh.
READ NEXT:
