Hearts to face Sturm Graz in Champions League qualifying

Like Hearts, Sturm Graz narrowly missed out on their domestic title

Hearts will face Austrian club Sturm Graz in the second round of Champions League qualifying.

The Edinburgh club will be playing in the qualifiers of Europe's top club competition 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.

The Austrian club will host the first leg on 21/22 July, with the reverse fixture the following midweek.

By that time Hearts will likely be under new management. with head coach Derek McInnesseemingly poised to switch to Rangersand the Edinburgh club expected to choose a replacement within days.

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Should Hearts defeat Sturm, they will be unseeded. 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. would 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. beat Rangers 2-1 at home and lost by the same score at Celtic after dropping down to the Europa League and finishing 26th of the 36 teams.

They finished the regular season top by a point,. similar to Hearts, they finished two points behind LASK after the league split into a championship round.