Fenerbahce possible qualifying opponents for Hearts
Hearts, Rangers, Motherwell and Hibernian have discovered their possible opponents in the next round of European qualifying, following Monday's draws. Hearts will face either Fenerbahce or Gornik Zabrze in the Champions League if they overcome Sturm Graz, while Rangers, seeded in the Europa League third qualifying round, have been paired with Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok. The draws matter as they map out the potential path for all four Scottish clubs across three continental competitions this summer.
Should Hearts lose to Sturm Graz, they would drop into the Europa League to meet Benfica or St Gallen; Fenerbahce and Gornik Zabrze were runners-up in Turkey and Poland respectively last season. In the Conference League, Motherwell face HJK Helsinki or Coleraine pending their tie with HB of the Faroe Islands, while Hibernian would meet NK Bravo or KF Shkendija if they see off Kosovo's FK Malisheva. Third qualifying round ties are scheduled for 4/5 and 11/12 August (Champions League) and 6/13 August (Europa and Conference Leagues), with Hearts playing the first leg against Sturm in Graz on Tuesday; Hearts last reached this stage in 2006-07, and Rangers finished 32nd of 36 in last season's Europa League league phase.
In short
- Hearts could meet Fenerbahce or Gornik Zabrze if they beat Sturm Graz
- Rangers drawn against Jagiellonia Bialystok in Europa League qualifying
- Motherwell and Hibernian learn potential Conference League opponents
Explained simply
Teams from across Europe's major football leagues compete against each other in annual tournaments, with different teams entering at different stages. Four Scottish teams have entered these tournaments this year: Hearts, Rangers, Motherwell and Hibernian. The draws for the next stage of competition have recently been completed, determining potential opponents for each team.
Hearts will progress to potentially face Fenerbahce from Turkey or Gornik Zabrze from Poland, but only if they first defeat Sturm Graz from Austria in a match scheduled for this week. Similarly, Rangers, Motherwell and Hibernian will each face opponents determined by the outcome of their current fixtures. The next stage of matches is due to begin in August.
Hearts have not participated in these European tournaments since 2006-07, marking a return to this level of competition for the club. The draws provide a map of potential opponents for all four Scottish teams as they progress through the summer and autumn. Advancement depends on winning each successive match.
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