Hearts boss Craig Levein has admitted that he is comfortable about his side being strong favourites to reach the Scottish Cup Final.
The Tynecastle side take on Inverness at Hampden on Saturday. Most people are firmly expecting Hearts to dispatch the Championship side.
Levein thinks the pressure of being such huge favourites could be a good thing for his team.
(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
“I prefer that to be honest, I prefer to have the odds in our favour” Levein said, as reported by the Daily Record.
“I do really enjoy the build-up to these matches. It brings a focus and more enthusiasm, I think.”
(photo by Alan Rennie/Action Plus via Getty Images)
It remains to be seen if being favourites will work in Hearts’ favour on this occasion.
The teams have met before this season, the Tynecastle side running riot in a 5-0 win in the Betfred Cup back in July. Therefore, it is no shock to see Hearts as firm favourites for the tie.
(photo by Alan Rennie/Action Plus via Getty Images)
However, the upcoming semi-final could be a much tighter affair. Inverness will be going into the game with nothing to lose. The same can’t be said for Hearts.
A defeat could well call for Levein to lose his job. That is what makes his comments so interesting. If Hearts play with the ‘focus and enthusiasm’ he has mentioned then the Tynecastle side should reach the Scottish Cup Final with relative ease.