Claudio Braga expressed his frustration following Hearts’ 4-2 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday. Despite leading twice during the match, Hearts were unable to secure a point, allowing both Rangers and Celtic to close the gap at the top of the Premiership table. Braga, who contributed by scoring Hearts’ second goal, highlighted the defensive lapses that ultimately cost his team valuable points.
Braga noted, “It’s frustrating, of course. In the first half, I think we were better. We let them control the game and we went on the counter-attack. We were doing a good job on that. Then we lost two cheap goals.” With the loss, Hearts must regroup quickly as they prepare to face Falkirk at Tynecastle on Sunday.
The coach emphasized the need for a strong response after the disappointing result. “In the second half, we know that we could do better – also the goals against us. If we did things a little bit different, like one less pass, we would do better. It’s frustrating but we’re still in first place and there are still a lot of games to go.”
Despite the setback, Braga remains confident in his team’s position at the top of the league. Hearts have maintained their lead for a significant period this season, but Braga dismissed any notion of added pressure as they approach the title run-in. He pointed out that it has been decades since a team outside of Glasgow lifted the league trophy, stating, “No, I don’t feel we have that pressure just because it’s 40 years now, right? So we’re doing something amazing.”
He continued, “We’re proud of the work we’re doing. Of course, the more points we can get, the better. But the pressure, I think, is normally on the teams that win the league.” Braga encouraged his players to enjoy the remainder of the season, focusing on maintaining a positive mindset as they aim to secure victories in upcoming matches. With the next game against Falkirk, Hearts will look to reaffirm their status as title contenders in front of their home crowd.
