# Hearts to ‘go for it’ in Champions League quest

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/hearts-to-go-for-it-in-champions-league-quest/
- Published: 2026-07-20T17:07:27+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-30T05:16:13+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC Sport (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.ukundefined/?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Art, Celebrity, Culture, Elections, Entertainment, Politics, Sport

## Key points

- Hearts begin Champions League qualifying under new coach Wouter Vrancken.
- Major departures have prompted a rapid squad rebuild.
- Sturm Graz provide an early, difficult European test.

## Summary

Hearts are beginning a demanding Champions League qualifying campaign after narrowly missing out on the Scottish Premiership title, with new head coach Wouter Vrancken urging the team to embrace the opportunity. The tie against Austrian side Sturm Graz is an early test of a substantially rebuilt squad and could set the tone for the season ahead.

Hearts have not played competitively for 67 days and came within minutes of their first league title in more than 60 years last season. Since then, captain Lawrence Shankland, Cammy Devlin and former head coach Derek McInnes have joined Rangers, while Vrancken, 47, has overseen rapid recruitment; Hearts must negotiate three qualifying rounds to reach the Champions League league phase.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.