MIGUEL PALLARDO, Hearts' new signing, insists he will treat the Bet Butler like the Bernabeu as he completes his remarkable journey from the Champions League to the SPFL Championship this afternoon.
The 28-year-old penned a one-year deal at Tynecastle this week and will be pitched straight in against Dumbarton as Hearts seek to keep their 100% league record.
The modest surroundings of the Bet Butler could scarcely differ more from his last competitive outing, playing for Levante in front of 74,172 fans as Cristiano Ronaldo inspired a 3-0 home win for Real Madrid.
Pallardo also regularly played at Camp Nou, against some of the best players in the world, but he is adamant he will approach his debut in Scotland's second tier in the same way as he would if he were taking on one of the Spanish giants.
"Football is football," he said. "I will treat the Dumbarton game with exactly the same mentality as Real Madrid. I will have the same drive and commitment.
"I will give everything to win the game, like I do in every game. The moment I had the option of Hearts I learned about the history, the supporters and the stadium.
"No matter what division they are in, it is a Premiership club in itself. With everything that surrounded the club, I was convinced from the first moment."
With 179 appearances in Spain's top two divisions, Pallardo has a fine pedigree and can boast a footballing education to rival anyone.
He came through the respected Valencia youth academy with David Silva and Raul Albiol, graduating to a senior side where he rubbed shoulders with Fernando Morientes, Vicente and Joaquin.
He also represented Spain at every youth level, in the age group of Juan Mata, Gerard Pique and Javi Martinez. And, according to the man himself, he was not out of place in that company.
He smiled: "I learned a lot from them - and they learned things from me! There were high hopes that I would get to a very high level after I started at Valencia.
"I don't speak to my former team-mates every day but I still have a relationship with them. I'm sure when they find out I'm here I'll be getting messages from them and I'll start speaking to them."
It raises the question of how a young player of such promise has landed here in his late 20s.
"I had a change of managers, the new manager was not convinced by my capabilities and I did not get a good chance," he admitted.
"That happened two or three times. A problem with Spanish football is there is a lot of instability with the managers. One day you have a coach who believes in you, then you can have a coach who doesn't play you two weeks later."
"Now I want to grow as a player and a person. I am focused on the project here at Hearts. When Hearts get back to the Premiership anything is possible. Why can't I play in Europe and against top teams again at Hearts?"
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