Scottish quartet learn possible European opponents

What the report says

BBC Sport reported that four Scottish clubs have learned potential next opponents after Monday’s European third qualifying round draws. Hearts’ Champions League route depends first on beating Sturm Graz, with a tie against either Fenerbahce of Turkey or Poland’s Gornik Zabrze waiting if they progress.

Rangers, who were seeded in the Europa League draw, have been paired with Polish club Jagiellonia Bialystok. If Hearts are knocked out by Sturm Graz, they would drop into the Europa League qualifying path, where they could face Benfica or Swiss side St Gallen.

In the Conference League, Motherwell’s possible reward for overcoming HB of the Faroe Islands is a meeting with HJK Helsinki or Northern Irish club Coleraine. Hibernian, meanwhile, must first get past Kosovo’s FK Malisheva to set up a tie against Slovenia’s NK Bravo or North Macedonia’s KF Shkendija.

The draws matter because they set out the next stages of Scottish clubs’ attempts to reach the main phases of UEFA competitions. BBC Sport noted that Fenerbahce and Gornik Zabrze were runners-up in Turkey and Poland last season, while Jagiellonia finished behind Gornik on goal difference. Champions League third qualifying round ties are scheduled for 4/5 and 11/12 August, with Europa League and Conference League fixtures due on 6 and 13 August, though exact dates and venues have not yet been confirmed.