Heart of Midlothian

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Claudio Braga was the winner when we asked Hearts fans to choose their best player of a memorable season so far.

Few could have expected the sunning impact the Portuguese has had since joining on a three-year deal from Norwegian second-tier outfit Aalesunds last summer.

We've taken a look at the numbers behind Braga's campaign and it's clear to see why Hearts fans are raving about the attacker.

The 26-year-old is neck and neck with Lawrence Shankland on 17 goals for the season across all competitions - but in the Premiership Braga leads by one, having netted 14 in 13 games.

While other key players have been struck down by injury at various times, Braga has been a near constant. His 2,935 minutes played is the most of any outfield Hearts player.

Braga is averaging a goal every 182.3 minutes, basically one every two games, and his 92 shots (43 on target) is the highest in the league, as are his five headed goals.

He has also contributed two vitally important game-winning goals. In January, he netted in a 1-0 victory at Dundee. He did the same at home against Aberdeen at the end of February in a match which, at the time, moved Hearts seven points clear at the top.

The striker is outperforming his expected goals (xG) of 13.35, and is helping to set them up too. His combined goals and assists of 17 is also the third best in the division and he has created 44 chances - among the top 10 players in the league for that category - seven of which have been big chances.

If Hearts go on to lift the Premiership trophy in May, Braga will certainly have played a huge part.

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We asked you to tell us your choice for player of the season at table-topping Hearts.

Here are some of your picks:

Peter: When there is talk of a Portugal call-up, you can't look past Claudio Braga. Smooth operator who works his socks off for his team-mates and the fans. A gem of a player who will 100% be on the move this summer, hopefully for over eight figures, where his effect on this club will be felt for seasons to come.

Chris: Braga by a nose. He's been sensational, has terrified defences and led the line during Lawrence Shankland's absence. He also has the best song! But there are loads in contention including Cammy Devlin, Harry Milne, Alexander Schwolow, Alexandros Kyziridis and captain fantastic Shanks himself. Take a bow lads.

John: Cammy Devlin.

Calum: So hard to pick but it's Harry Milne for me. He's done what's asked of him in every game and defends and attacks brilliantly. It will be massive for us if he's back for the run-in and, for my money, he deserves to be on the plane to America this summer.

Seann: Claudio Braga - great wee player and never gives up.

Tam: The fact that it is so difficult to choose tells its own story. For me, it's Cammy Devlin. His energy, enthusiasm and attitude have been amazing and it's great to have him back in the side.

Steve: So many worthy mentions after our season so far but Braga has been one of the best finds ever to play in Scottish football. His skill-set, honesty and work-rate means he's not just a flair player but scores in the big games too. If he makes a Portugal squad he will be our first £10m-plus player sold and will still be a bargain.

It's been one of the most memorable seasons in recent years for Hearts fans and it's not over yet.

Derek McInnes' side occupy top spot in the Scottish Premiership with five games to play and could land their first title in more than 60 years.

The recruitment has been impressive and their head coach has done an incredible job of getting players who were already in the building firing, but who in particular has stood out?

Who has been your Hearts player of the year? Tell us here.

Hearts are awaiting the scan results on defender Oisin McEntee's suspected hamstring injury - after the verdict came back in Spanish. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Derek McInnes is focusing on giving Hearts a "change of scenery" this week but knows what's waiting for his players when they return to domestic action.

With Hearts not involved in the Scottish Cup semi-finals this weekend, they have used the free time to head off for a warm weather training camp in Spain.

The Tynecastle club, currently a point clear at the Premiership summit, return to action on 26 April with a derby trip to face Edinburgh rivals Hibernian at Easter Road.

"We thought a change of scenery, a change of environment, would allow the players to focus on themselves for a period," head coach McInnes told Hearts TV. , external

"We're hoping we get the benefit of it. I don't think it does us any harm. It's not going to guarantee better results but I certainly think there's more good from it than anything else.

"We're still to get word back on Oisin McEntee. He is feeling better, we got him scanned out here but the scan results came back in Spanish so we need to get that translated to see the extent of it.

"Harry [Milne] is stepping up his work, Tomas [Magnusson] is here but we know he's up against it to get back playing before the end of the season.

"We're mindful it's an opportunity to top up some work for the lads that have not been playing."

While McInnes is striving to take his players' minds off the pressure-cooker title race, he admits the looming derby - the first of Hearts' five post-split fixtures - is "hard to ignore".

"We're trying not to think too much about that game at the minute," McInnes said.

"It's important not to get too caught up in it but it's hard to ignore. We know what's waiting for us but we want to try and make sure we produce a performance we've shown more often than not throughout this season."

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Next weekend's Edinburgh derby away to Hibernian could be key for Hearts in their quest for a historic Scottish Premiership title.

Hearts have led the way for much of the campaign and enter the five-game post-split schedule with a one-point lead over Rangers while Celtic are three off the top.

Easter Road has proved an unhappy hunting ground for Hearts in recent years. They have lost back-to-back visits, including a 3-2 defeat this season, and their past seven league trips have yielded just one win.

Elsewhere in the first round of post-split fixtures, Celtic host Saturday and Rangers entertain Motherwell. Depending on those results, anything other than a victory in Leith could see Hearts lose their spot at the top.

"The Edinburgh derby is the first game of the fixtures and it's such a momentum builder," says Hearts fan Liam Corbett, of the This is My Story podcast, external.

"I think that's probably a game in the calendar that Celtic and Rangers will look at and say that's going to be a very difficult game for Hearts and we've already lost there this season.

"You lose that then you're joint with Celtic on the same points and you're a point or two points behind Rangers if everybody wins their games and you lose yours, which is huge for mentality when there will only be four games left.

"Whereas if Hearts win that match, next game's at Tynecastle, we've got such a good record at home. Then the Hearts v Rangers game becomes absolutely massive because whatever happens in that game, the next one after that is Celtic v Rangers.

"The connotations of just not just looking after your own games, but then the game that follows you, for Celtic and Rangers, becomes massive."

• Hear more Hearts analysis on Wednesday's episode of the BBC Scottish Football Podcast.

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Former Scotland midfielder Charlie Adam reckons the three-way title race is too close to call and will come down to who can "hold their nerve the most" in the sprint to the finishing line.

With long-time leaders Hearts a point ahead of Rangers and three above stuttering champions Celtic, there are now just five rounds of fixtures remaining as the Premiership season enters the split.

Adam, who began his career Rangers, could make a case for any of the three sides going on to clinch what would be a momentous achievement.

"If you'd asked six weeks ago, there was an obvious winner, but now I think it's a flip of a coin," said the 40-year-old.

"I think it's week by week, game by game, and I think there's a lot of swings still to go in the title race.

"I didn't see Hearts being there at the start of the season and then I said I thought Hearts could win it and then they dropped points.

"Then Celtic were coming with a run, probably not playing as well as they feel they can, but they were picking up wins.

"And Rangers have just motored since Danny Rohl's came in, so I don't think you can really call anything.

"What a good thing it is for Scottish football that there's a bit of drama from now to the end of the season, and it's about who can hold their nerve the most."

With Celtic in Scottish Cup semi-final action against St Mirren this Sunday, Hearts and Rangers have both opted to go to abroad this week for their warm-weather training camps.

"I think it's good, it's an opportunity," said Adam.

"Hearts were looking to do that a few weeks ago and go to Dubai, but obviously, there was a problem to go there (with hostilities in the Middle East).

"And now both clubs have managed to do it. What I would say is I think they'd rather be playing here at Hampden in a semi-final.

"They've now got a chance to get the lads together, letting them relax a little bit, maybe a game of golf, a bit of dinner, just keeping them together.

"Because when you're in the training ground you don't spend as much time and you're going home and you're coming back.

"But when you're in there for four or five days, you're with everybody 24 hours a day, and it's a great way to keep camaraderie, get good team spirit and focus on the split."

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Hearts CEO Andrew McKinlay says the club's main focus is "finishing off what we've started" as they edge closer to an historic league title win.

The Tynecastle side, bidding to end 41 years of Old Firm dominance and claim their first top-flight crown since 1960, are a point clear of Rangers and three above Celtic before the final five post-split fixtures.

"We're delighted. We look back to a year ago and where we were sitting and I don't think any of us could have imagined this, to be brutally honest," McKinlay told Hearts TV., external

"It's been wonderful, but there's still five big games to go and we still fully believe we can get this over the line.

"Yes, it's been a fantastic season, no matter what happens, but that's not the way we're thinking at the moment, it's not about that.

"It's about now finishing off what we've started, and the guys have done amazingly to get us to this situation."

McKinlay apologised to Hearts season-ticket holders who will have to move seat for European games next season to ensure Tynecastle complies with Uefa regulations.

A top-two Premiership finish this season will earn Hearts a place in Champions League qualifying, while they are guaranteed at least Conference League qualifying after the 3-1 win over Motherwell ensured they can end no lower than third.

"We are having to make some changes around press boxes, which unfortunately will be displacing some fans, and I am sorry for that because I know people don't like to move, but hopefully we'll get them into other really good, if not better seats than they're currently in," said McKinlay.

"And to be fair, I think in the main there's been a real understanding there that it's something we've had to do to make sure we can play our games at Tynecastle, which we're all wanting to do.

"We're all desperate that that's Champions League, but we'll see how that all pans out."

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

Hearts have been top of the Scottish Premiership for all but one of the past 166 days.

With no league action this weekend, I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing my nerves are safe with Hearts at the summit.

I'll need the time to decompress after the 3-1 home win against everyone's adopted second team, Motherwell.

The Steelmen have rightly taken plaudits for their style of play this season but Jens Berthel Askou's men will also win the best dramatic performance award in 2026, months before the Edinburgh Fringe.

Of course, it's a clear penalty for the kick to Pierre Landry Kabore's skull. My frustration isn't with Old Firm or Hibs supporters claiming they know the rules better than Ifab and Kabore should have been booked for dangerous play, it's the fact referee Matthew MacDermid didn't initially see the incident.

I know VAR gets regularly panned by pundits and supporters, but the intervention from Steven McLean thankfully ensured justice prevailed.

The match could have gone differently had Tawanda Maswanhise not spurned a glorious opportunity to put Motherwell 2-1 up, but even taking my maroon specs off, Hearts did enough to earn victory.

Enormous credit to Derek McInnes for his in-game management. I wanted more proactivity last week; the switch to 4-2-4 after the hour, at 1-1 against Motherwell, was exactly that.

Throwing on Kabore and Sabah Kerjota on the right, with Claudio Braga left, was bold - maybe too bold for some - with 30 minutes left.

It paid off. Kerjota used the extended runout well and Kabore's late goal felt like the reward for giving him ample time to find his rhythm.

Now McInnes has a welcome selection headache for the final five games.

Kabore suddenly looks a genuine option with confidence and goal threat, while Kerjota is pushing hard to start for the first time in maroon.

Add Marc Leonard back after suspension and, finally, the matchday squad is trending the right way.

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The Scottish Premiership's title contenders all won on the same weekend for just the second time this season, each finding a way to a vital three points to stay in the fight for the trophy.

Celtic got past St Mirren with a solitary goal at Parkhead, while Hearts came from behind to defeat Motherwell 3-1 in a cracker at Tynecastle.

That put the focus on Rangers on Sunday, and after Danny Rohl's side went two behind at Falkirk, they responded to win 6-3 in a remarkable game.

Those results kept the teams separated by just three points with five games to play, and former goalkeeper Cammy Bell thinks each side will have taken a boost from delivering under pressure.

He believes Rangers will be buzzing after avoiding a "banana skin", while Hearts found "huge, huge moments" to deliver late goals in their game.

And looking at all three contenders, he says they will all have the belief they can continue to stack up wins.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, the former Hearts and Rangers player said: "I think there will be different confidence levels within each club. But listen, you can break it down.

"It's difficult. They all won. And that's the main thing this weekend. They all got three points to move on and that's what they're going to have to do between now and the end of the season.

"It was a big win for Celtic on Saturday. They weren't probably at their best, but they get the job done. That's what it's going to be about between now and the end of the season; a bit of luck or a bit of magic.

"That's what you're looking for from your players. And trying to get three points because ultimately, if you can manage to do that most weeks, you'll end up top of the table and win the title.

"I think it's just made for a brilliant run into the end of the season with all three of them winning this weekend. It's so close, so tight and so difficult to call.

"There's going to be huge games coming up. We all know that it's going to be a blockbuster finish to the end of the season."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

Kelle Roos (Kilmarnock): Not the finest all-round performance but came up clutch deep into stoppage time to deny Dundee from the spot and save a potentially priceless point for Killie.

Alexander Jensen (Aberdeen): Pushed back a little bit but impressed at wing-back against Hibernian. Tanked up and down the touchline and coped well when Hibs were trying to put him under pressure.

Krisztian Keresztes (Dundee United): Admittedly, not the finest weekend for defenders, but the substitute hauled United level with an important header to allow them to push on for a late win against Livingston.

Will Ferry (Dundee United): And here's the man who set him up. Ferry also opened the scoring with a superb solo goal at Tannadice.

Hyun-jun Yang (Celtic): Few in green and white impressed in a narrow win over St Mirren at Celtic Park, but the South Korean showed up again.

Nicolas Raskin (Rangers): For his second-half showing at Falkirk. The Belgium international was like a man possessed after the break with an abundance of fight, quality and creativity on show. Displayed his very best as Rangers ripped Falkirk apart in a bonkers second 45.

Beni Baningime (Hearts): Back alongside Cammy Devlin in the engine room and back pulling the strings for Hearts. A classy performance - again - in the crucial win over Motherwell.

Emmanuel Gyamfi (Aberdeen): Outside his needless incident with Hibs striker Owen Elding, for which he was shown a yellow card after a VAR review, the wide man was Aberdeen's biggest threat in one of his better performances for the Dons. Hooked balls in at every chance he could, something Stephen Robinson will be desperate to see more of.

Sabah Kerjota (Hearts): Came on in the 66th minute and immediately became Hearts' set-piece taker, whipping in inviting deliveries - including one that led to the second goal. His cameo performances have impressed to the point there is clamour for him to start the upcoming Edinburgh derby over Alexandros Kyziridis.

Kevin Nisbet (Aberdeen): The man grateful for those deliveries from Gyamfi. Kept his cool from the spot against his former side before smashing the much-needed second over the line... just. Big, big goals and an equally impressive all-round performance.

Lewis Smith (Livingston): Doing all he can to keep Livingston in the league, chipping in with another two goals. Even if the Lions are relegated, which is increasingly likely, Smith should remain in the top flight. One wouldn't think he'd be short of suitors.

Watch all the action from Hearts' 3-1 win against Motherwell.

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Hearts manager Derek McInnes is encouraged by his strikers' form after three of them netted in a 3-1 win over Motherwell.

Starters Claudio Braga and Lawrence Shankland had few chances as Motherwell threatened to knock the William Hill Premiership leaders off their perch.

But the Portuguese forward hooked home an equaliser and Shankland netted from a VAR-assisted penalty two minutes from time.

Substitute Landry Kabore rounded off the comeback victory in stoppage time to ensure Hearts go into the split on the summit.

"There's no doubt the last five games are going to be dramatic," McInnes said. "I feel the weight of responsibility, every team we pick, to try and get my players in the best form possible.

"When you come so far in the season with five games to go, it's difficult to keep going to the well and getting those performances. That's why the squad is so important for us.

"And we've got no troubles to seek in terms of injuries at the minute. But it pleases me no end that Braga and Shankland scored again, and Kabore gets a goal.

"We've shown a bit more of our attacking threat."

Shankland and Braga have scored 27 goals between them in the Premiership and sit in the top four of the goalscoring charts.

"I wouldn't change the two of them for anything. Shankland's only going to get better. Braga is just effervescent. He feeds off this crowd. He doesn't give defenders a minute. He's on a mission to get as many goals as well. That gives us all real comfort and a bit of optimism."

Hearts go into the split just a point ahead of Rangers and knowing that there could be twists and turns as the top six face off.

"Motherwell will test your organisation the whole game," said McInnes, who lost defender Oisin McEntee to a hamstring injury late on.

"They're good players, they've had a lot of plaudits for a lot of reasons. We're going to have to play them again, Falkirk, who are a great side, Rangers and Celtic and Hibs. So they're brilliant games to be involved in.

"Motherwell, Falkirk and Hibs have all got their own motivation to finish in that fourth spot and finish in Europe."

We asked for your views on Hearts' 3-1 win against Motherwell.

Here's what some of you said:

Gary: Another hard-fought three points. Motherwell controlled the game and should have been out of sight before a superb Claudio Braga finish. The substitutions definitely changed things.

I can't understand the reluctance by Derek McInnes to give Sabah Kerjota more game time in place of the unremarkable Alexandros Kyziridis. Unlike any other split Motherwell, Falkirk and Hibs are going to have a big say on where the title ends up.

Gez: Nobody told us title battles could be so stressful! We all thought it would be a thrill and a delight, but my goodness, the intensity of wanting something so much puts you right through it!

Sometimes fate comes and gives what you deserved. Motherwell's gamesmanship in the first half was rightly pointed out in no uncertain terms from the Tynie faithful. The second half, though, is what title-winning teams have done throughout the decades - hang in there when it's not going your way, then when the chance comes, take it. Especially pleased for Pierre Landry Kabore, a great finish. But overall - pure relief!

Frank: This side has a lot of character. It was not an easy watch at times but it's job done. Goals for all three strikers. Kerjota deserves a start and might prove to be the winning card for the run in.

Alfo: We got the slice of luck to turn the match that's eluded us over the last couple of games but ran out worthy winners in the end. Hearts' performances against the top teams bodes well for the post-split fixtures. All fans want is for the Jambos come out swinging in the last five games. Do that and a jaw-dropping title win will turn this group of players into absolute legends.

David: Confidence building. A late win but shows the determination of Hearts. The team give their best which is good going forward. Team is getting stronger and better.

Fraser: Not sure the phrase "emotional rollercoaster" really does Hearts' season justice. Relieved to get three points after another fairly flat performance. Kabore's goal will only give him confidence. Five to go.

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Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland believes "there's a lot to be excited about" after a win over Motherwell ensured his side will be top of the table going into the post-split fixtures.

The Premiership leaders went a goal down to the Steelmen at Tynecastle before Claudio Braga equalised, and Shankland's penalty put Hearts in front before Pierre-Landry Kabore added some gloss to the scoreline with an injury-time strike.

Victory opened up a four-point gap at the top of the table, though Rangers can narrow the gap again to a point when they visit Falkirk on Sunday.

Being in pole position before matches against their title rivals and the rest of the top six is exactly where Hearts want to be, though the captain does still expect "twists and turns" before the trophy's destination is decided.

Shankland said: "It's five cup finals, really, isn't it?" We know if we're going to win them all, then there's no doubt where we will be, but I imagine there's going to be plenty of twists and turns, and everybody needs to play each other.

"It'll make for a brilliant end to the season for Scottish football in general, but we'll just look to go and win as many games as we can, and if we do that, we could be in a really good place.

" When we started out the season, you had an idea that we were a strong side and had a good feeling about the place.

"We've managed to carry that through, got a lot of positive results and are still sitting in a good position come April and getting into May. We can be excited, there's a lot to be excited about.

"A lot of big games coming up and it's just about getting ready for them."

The Scotland international admitted Motherwell had given his side a real test but his side has shown their mettle to get back into it and go on to take three points.

"They're a good side and they cause you problems," he said. "It was just about dealing with that throughout the majority of the game.

"We dealt with a lot of it pretty well, but when they have that much of the ball, they are going to have moments where they threaten a goal.

"They went 1-0 up, and it's just about character from there."

Hearts did it the hard way, coming from behind once more against Motherwell, as they did in August's 3-3 draw at Tynecastle, only going one better this time with a vital victory.

It ensures that Derek McInnes' side will go into the Scottish Premiership split top of the table. Will they secure their first title since 1960?

Read the match report.

Let us know your thoughts.

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Hearts head coach Derek McInnes recognises that his side had "a bit of fortune" but is happy to go into warm-weather training in Spain during the international break still at the top of the Scottish Premiership after a 3-1 win over Motherwell.

"It is good to go into it with a big win because the game was in the balance for a while there," he told BBC Scotland.

"We'll not get carried away. But we have shown, with five games to go, they keep doing their jobs and we just need to keep doing that for a while longer."

Hearts had to come from behind to beat the fourth-top visitors.

"I thought it was a really good game, fiercely contested," McInnes said

"I think we saw a lot of the good in both teams. Some things we could do better, Motherwell will be disappointed at one or two of their bigger chances.

"But I thought we were the better team in the first half. We shaded it just in terms of Motherwell didn't really connect the game they normally do.

"But they did get a couple of shots from the edge of the box. They are good at creating that space in front of centre-halfs.

"They caused us a bit of anxiety with their speed. Longelo, Maswanhise, Just and Said, they are all lovely footballers, but I thought in the main we dealt with it really well.

"It has hard to keep a good team round and there was a feeling when we went 1-0 down, we had it all to do.

"It was important we stayed calm. I reverted to my 4-4-2. Sometimes it is good to go back to the familiar, but it gave them more control in the middle of the park, so we reverted back and I thought we were far better.

"We had some good moments, I thought my subs did well and obviously a great goal from [Claudio] Braga gets us back on our way.

"Nobody was settling for 1-1. We tried to put stress on their back-line. I wasn't sure about the penalty, but everyone who's seen it back says it is a penalty - he gets kicked in the head.

"Lawrence Shankland tucks it away brilliantly and Kabore finishes it off. So your three strikers scoring. We were strong in the last 10 minutes to see it out for a great three points."

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Hearts centre-half Stuart Findlay returns after six weeks out with a calf injury.

But Birmingham City loanee Marc Leonard is suspended, while fellow midfielder Tomas Magnusson will have a thigh injury assessed to see if he will play any further part this season.

Calem Nieuwenhof, Ageu and Craig Gordon remain out.

Motherwell hope to have forward Eythor Bjorgolfsson and defender Liam Gordon back after minor injuries, while striker Callum Hendry is available after a three-month absence.

But Regan Charles-Cook and Zach Robinson remain out.