Hearts Draw Fenerbahce or Sturm Graz in Champions League Draw
Hearts were placed in the champions league draw in Nyon on Wednesday, putting them back into Champions League qualifying for the first time in 20 years. They enter at the second qualifying round, with one tie set to decide whether the route continues or drops into the Europa League path.
Hearts will face either Fenerbahce of Turkey or Sturm Graz of Austria in the League Path, and the first leg is scheduled for 21/22 July. The reverse fixture follows the following midweek, so the next step is already fixed even though the opponent is not.
Derek McInnes and Hearts
Derek McInnes is preparing for a first qualifying tie that arrives with an unusual backdrop. He was described as seemingly poised to switch to Rangers by the time Hearts play their opening European matches, which leaves Hearts planning a major qualifier while their head coach’s longer-term situation sits in the background.
That twist sits alongside the practical task in front of the club. If Hearts are drawn against Fenerbahce and win, they will be seeded in the third qualifying round and would then meet one of Sparta Prague, NEC Nijmegen, the winner between Sturm Graz and Gornik Zabrze, or Union Saint-Gilloise.
Sturm Graz or Fenerbahce
If the draw sends Hearts against Sturm Graz and they win, the path changes sharply. They would be unseeded and face one of Lyon, Bodo/Glimt, Olympiacos or the winner of Fenerbahce against Gornik, which makes the opening draw more than a first hurdle; it also shapes the next round.
Hearts last played in Champions League qualifying 20 years ago, when they beat Siroki Brijeg in the second qualifying round before losing to AEK Athens and dropping into the Uefa Cup. This time, defeat at the first step would send them into the Europa League third qualifying round, where they would be unseeded in the same section of the draw as Rangers.
Hibs, Motherwell and Bloom
Hibernian and Motherwell were also involved in Wednesday’s draws, with the Conference League draw taking place two hours after the Champions League draw in Nyon. The day’s pair of draws set the first European routes for three Scottish clubs at once, even though Hearts carry the highest-stakes path because of where they entered and what comes next.
Tony Bloom’s investment in Hearts and Union Saint-Gilloise also sits in the background of the European picture. Bloom has kept his stake in both clubs below 30% to comply with Uefa’s multi-club ownership rules, while Hearts and Union continue to use his Jamestown Analytics firm for recruitment.
