The Portuguese boss expects a different challenge to the one his side encountered in Lisbon last week when they ran out 6-1 winners in front of more than 60,000 at the Estadio da Luz.
Silva is still integrating a number of players this summer, including those who were at the World Cup. Norwegian international Andreas Schjelderup, Colombian international Richard Rios, Dodi Lukebakio of Belgium, Bosnia’s Amar Dedic and Jhon Duran, who was once signed for £64million, have yet to start a game this season.
The former Fulham boss could use the second leg as an opportunity to give them a starting role.
“It’s going to be a game in a different environment for Hearts. It doesn’t matter the result in the first leg, the atmosphere is going to be top for sure for the home side,” Silva said.
“We are going to have our fans here as well, but it’s going to be important for us to test ourselves in a different environment.
“If we are going to change players or not, we have to wait for tomorrow, definitely. But it’s a chance for us as well to see some players in the official game. Some of them didn’t start an official game this season so far, and for us it’s important to see them.
“But it doesn’t matter who’s going to start, it’s always going to be Benfica.
“Our goal for the game is to win. Of course, we know the type of result we have from the first leg, the position we are in in this competition. But it doesn’t matter, when the game starts, it’s going to start from zero and we want to win again.”
There is an acceptance within the Hearts support that the tie is over. However, there remains an opportunity to build confidence and put across a better showing, result-wise, than they did in the first leg.
Silva expects his Benfica side to come up against a team that “wants to react”.
From that, he expects a difficult atmosphere, “high intensity” and his team to be challenged.
Silva said: “They got a heavy result, first game, and of course in Lisbon, they want to react. They know that the difference is big in terms of results, but for sure they want to play to win the game. For sure, they want to show their fans that they are capable of getting a different result tomorrow and we have to be aware of it.
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“I believe that the team is going to start in high intensity, as you started the first game. You started the game very well in Lisbon. Of course, we are capable to start to command the game from the first minute.
“I know that Hearts tomorrow are going to show a reaction for sure. It is up to us to be able to control that situation and to be able to play our style of game in different circumstances from the first game, a bit more tight for sure the game.
“We were able to break their pressure, we were able to create, in different ways, many chances during the game. I believe that tomorrow is going to be slightly different. The game is important for us to adjust, to adapt during the game, if you have to adapt for the players to make the right decisions during the right moments in the game.”