Robbie Neilson insists Hearts won't be taking their eye off battles on the home front despite their Europa League future hanging in the balance. The Tynecastle boss is adamant next Thursday's play-off, second-leg against FC Zurich doesn't take priority ahead of a visit to Celtic.
That 2-1 first-leg loss to the Swiss champions on Thursday night has now been parked as Neilson readies his side for the challenge at Parkhead. He said: "It’s a massive game, it’s a cliché but it’s the bread and butter. The league form last year got us into Europe and we need to do that again so we go to Parkhead and we need to be ready.
"We might make a couple of changes but not massive because we’ll try and win that game. Only once we are through that will we try and focus on the home leg next Thursday."
Neilson is adamant his side's European exertions won't be a factor against Ange Postecoglou's outfit and that nothing has been left to chance going in against a side which requires their full attention. He said: "Our focus is totally on Celtic, we stayed overnight in Switzerland on Thursday, it’s about recovery and making sure we’re in as good a condition as possible. It’s a case of going there and if you don’t bring any more than 100-per-cent then you’ll get turned over.
"We had already started preparing for it, as a staff we know what we’re going to do. We’ve been there numerous times and know it’s going to be difficult."
Neilson is also adamant there will be no inferiority complex as they get ready to go in against a side who've splashed the cash on more recruitment this summer and he's convinced a shock could be on the cards.
He said: "They’ve spent a bit more money and signed a few more players. That’s Scottish football. Our job is to go there, make sure you try and negate these players and then find a way to win the game.
"Our objective this season, the same as last season and we spoke about it, can we go to Glasgow and win? It’s been a long time since we’ve done that and Sunday is an opportunity to do that. There is no point in going there thinking, ‘lets put this game to bed then we can look forward to Thursday’, we want to try and go there and win."
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