Hearts Face Fenerbahce or Sturm Graz in Conference League Draw
Hearts enter Wednesday’s conference league draw already knowing the first hurdle in their Champions League route: Fenerbahce or Sturm Graz. The Scottish Premiership runners-up are back in qualifying for Europe’s top competition for the first time in 20 years, and the draw will decide whether they stay on that path or fall into the Europa League third qualifying round.
Hearts in Nyon
The Champions League draw starts at 11:00 BST in Nyon, with the Conference League draw two hours later. Hearts, Hibs and Motherwell are all involved in the day’s draws, but Hearts have the clearest immediate stake because they enter the League Path section of the second qualifying round reserved for domestic runners-up.
That means the first opponents are already narrowed to one of two names. If Hearts are paired with Fenerbahce and get through, they would be seeded in the third qualifying round. If they draw Sturm Graz and advance, they would go forward unseeded.
Fenerbahce Or Sturm Graz
The tie schedule is set. The first legs will be played on 21/22 July, with the reverse fixtures the following midweek. Hearts last reached this stage 20 years ago, when they beat Siroki Brijeg in the second qualifying round before losing to AEK Athens and dropping into the Uefa Cup.
The next round is mapped out as well. A win over Fenerbahce would send Hearts toward Sparta Prague, NEC Nijmegen, the winner of Sturm Graz against Gornik Zabrze, or Union Saint-Gilloise. If they beat Sturm Graz, the possible opponents change to Lyon, Bodo/Glimt, Olympiacos or the winner of Fenerbahce against Gornik.
Derek McInnes And Rangers
Derek McInnes is seemingly poised to switch to Rangers by the time Hearts play their first qualifying tie, adding another layer to a draw that already carries major consequences. Hearts would drop into the Europa League third qualifying round if they lose at the first hurdle, and they would enter that draw unseeded in the same part as Rangers, who will be seeded for their first European fixture of the season.
There is also an ownership angle behind the competition rules. Tony Bloom has invested in Hearts and Union below 30% to comply with Uefa’s multi-club ownership rules, while Hearts wait to learn whether their European summer starts with Turkey, Austria or an immediate step into the Europa League route.
