Heart of Midlothian are into the Conference League league phase after beating Rapid Vienna on penalties on Wednesday evening in Vienna.
The tie finished 2-2 after extra time and 4-4 on aggregate at the Allianz Stadion, with Beau Reus the hero in the shootout for Hearts. The result means Hearts have secured a place in the main phase of the competition for the third time in five years.
What it means for Hearts
Qualification guarantees Hearts at least six more European matches, and it also brings a significant financial boost. The club are likely to earn upwards of £5million from the competition, depending on how the campaign develops.
The new format for The Conference League includes 36 teams split into six pots based on UEFA club coefficient. Each club will play one team from each of the six pots, and the league phase standings will be crucial because the top eight go straight through to the last 16.
Teams finishing ninth to 24th will enter a knockout round, while sides outside that group will exit the competition.
Draw and fixture dates
The Conference League draw will take place on August 28 at 12pm UK time, alongside the Europa League draw. UEFA says the fixture list, including match dates and kick-off times, will be communicated no later than Sunday 30 August.
For Hearts, that means the focus now shifts from a dramatic night in Vienna to finding out who comes next and when the European schedule begins to take shape.
