Wednesday October 28th 2026
Hearts manager Wouter Vrancken.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Adam Bowen
Wouter Vrancken spoke to the press yesterday before Hearts face Rangers tonight.
It will be the first time Derek McInnes will meet his old side since he left the club this summer following an outstanding season in Gorgie.
Hearts are suffering a big injury crisis now, which worsened over the weekend when Milne had to come off. It has been confirmed by Vrancken that it was his ACL and Milne will subsequently miss the remainder of the season.
It is a huge blow for Hearts, but Vrancken told the press that Milne is at peace with the situation.
He let us know that Mendy didn’t feel anything following his return from injury at the weekend, so that is looking promising.
He also hopes that Spittal will be back in the side by Christmas.
With such a large injury list the Hearts boss was asked about the dangers that now poses the players who are having to play game after game,
“The players are doing well and recovering well. So, let’s hope that they can still keep up like this.”
He was also asked whether the squad has anything to prove following their humiliating defeat at Parkhead the other week,
“It’s not about proving yourself because you lost one game. I think you have to keep believing in what you did and some things you have to do better than at that moment.”
He also mentioned how they proved themselves already with the character they showed with a huge away victory against Motherwell on the weekend
In terms of preparation for the match,
“Now it’s again one day less recovery than the opponent. But then again, you need your character, you need your mentality to stick up, to put yourself out there, and then together with the quality”
Speaking on Rangers and what he expects from them tonight,
“Rangers is a good team, just individual quality is enormous and difference in budget and stuff like this is also massive. But on the pitch, it’s 11 v 11.
I think they will come aggressive towards us in their way of playing. We have to be ready for those things. We have to analyse them, but also be ready and try to have the solutions to cope with it, within our qualities of course. And going for the game at full belief.”
If Vrancken’s side can get all 3 points tonight they will go just 1 point behind Rangers who currently sit in second place.
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