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Hearts Face Sturm Graz in Champions League Qualifying

Hearts of Midlothian will face Austrian club Sturm Graz in the second round of Champions League qualifying. The Edinburgh club will be playing in the qualifiers for the first time in 20 years after finishing runners-up in the Scottish Premiership.

  • Hearts face Sturm Graz in Champions League qualifying
  • Hearts to play Austrian club for the first time in 20 years
  • New management at Hearts expected within days

Hearts of Midlothian will face a tough test in the second round of Champions League qualifying as they take on Austrian club Sturm Graz. The Edinburgh club will be playing in the qualifiers for the first time in 20 years after finishing runners-up in the Scottish Premiership following a final-day defeat by reigning champions Celtic.

Sturm Graz also finished second in their domestic league behind LASK and will host the first leg on 21/22 July, with the reverse fixture the following midweek. Hearts will likely be under new management by that time, with head coach Derek McInnes poised to switch to Rangers.

Should Hearts defeat Sturm Graz, they will be unseeded and face either Lyon, Bodo/Glimt, Olympiacos, or the winner of Fenerbahce v Gornik Zabrze. If they lose, they will drop into the Europa League third qualifying round and be unseeded in the same part of the draw as seeded Rangers.

Sturm Graz lost 6-2 on aggregate to Bodo/Glimt in the play-off round last season and beat Rangers 2-1 at home but lost by the same score at Celtic. They finished the regular season top by a point but two points behind LASK after the league split into a championship round.

Why this matters: This is significant for Scottish football fans as Hearts' performance in the Champions League qualifying rounds will be closely watched.

What this means for you: What this means for you: If you're a Hearts fan, this is a crucial moment in the club's history, with the team's performance in the Champions League qualifying rounds expected to have a significant impact on their future.

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