Hibs v Partizan preview

Edinburgh Evening News

Hibs v Partizan preview. Will Serb coach's prediction of a 'battle' be on the money? Can David Gray's men defend - or even add to - their 2-0 first leg lead after a brilliant night in Belgrade?

Transcript

00:00It's not often we wonder if European opposition will cope with the sweltering heat of a Scottish summer.

00:08But if you're standing at East Maines today, this is murderous heat.

00:12I don't know how the boys would have got on at training this morning at Hibs.

00:16And we think Partizan Belgrade will be alright with the heat, judging by how hot it was last week.

00:22This is a really interesting tie, well set up at Hibs 2-0 up.

00:27One of the best away results, you know, for decades I would think, in terms of a European context.

00:34Scottish teams just don't do that, they just don't go to places like Belgrade in front of the fans called the Gravediggers

00:42and come out comfortable 2-0 winners.

00:45The Belgrade coach has been talking about what his team need to do to overtake, or overturn rather, a 2-0 deficit.

00:53He's used, depending on which translation you pick up, he's used the word battle and fight.

01:00But he's also been extremely keen to stress that his players cannot get involved in a physical contest with Hibs.

01:08You know, he said this before the first leg as well, it was a kind of a play on the old cliche,

01:13we fear the Scots, they fight like lions, you know, they're big, strong, physical.

01:17We thought he was at it a bit, but come the game itself, it's something we take for granted with Scottish football sometimes,

01:23that we do have athletes, and even, you know, little wiry guys like Martin Boyle,

01:28who is, I believe, pound for pound, the strongest player in the Hibs squad.

01:34That is a description that has confused one or two of the big players who don't understand what pound for pound means.

01:40But what I'm getting at is, there's a physical strength and athleticism that you need to survive in Scottish football

01:46that sometimes can work to your benefit in these European ties.

01:51So, 2-0 up, everyone loves that lead, don't they?

01:552-0 up from the first leg.

01:57You know Belgrade are going to have to come out, but you think, as I see Joe Newell walking by here,

02:02he's got his lunch, got his lunch ready.

02:05Out in the garden.

02:07Yeah, so it's going to be interesting at 2-0.

02:10Everyone says it's a dangerous lead, they'll have to come out and chase,

02:15and try to get a goal.

02:17That should leave room for the counter-attack.

02:21Assuming Martin Boyle is absolutely 100%, he came on, on Sunday.

02:27If Kieran Bowie's fit, you can see Hibs doing some real damage.

02:31And then we could have some sunshine on Leith.

02:34Again, I will not, there's not a cliche, I will not mine for your video pleasure.

02:39See you all at Easter Road.

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