Wouter Vrancken hails Hearts’ resilience despite mounting injury crisis

Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken praised his players for handling a severe injury crisis and a packed schedule ahead of their Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Hibernian. Hearts were missing eight players during their recent 2-2 draw with Rangers, in which makeshift full-back Rogers Mato also suffered a muscle injury. Despite these absences, Vrancken commended his squad's focus and adaptability across different positions during a challenging run of domestic and European fixtures.

Hibernian manager Marink Reedijk, who replaced David Gray in late September, will face Vrancken at Hampden for his first Edinburgh derby. Reedijk previously encountered Vrancken while coaching in Belgium and noted that he expects a clear, challenging style of play from Hearts in the cup encounter.