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As the dust settles on Sunday's memorable FIFA World Cup 2026 final in the United States, we turn our attention to the early rounds of UEFA Champions League qualifying.
Football fans enjoy the 2nd qualifying round on Tuesday and Wednesday, before the Europa League takes over on Thursday. Among the 11 fixtures played on Tuesday is Sturm Graz vs Hearts, as the second-best team from the Austrian Bundesliga play Heart of Midlothian, who finished just two points behind Scottish champions Celtic.
Sturm Graz enjoy home advantage and plan to make it count before the second leg is played in Edinburgh next week. The locals are more experienced at this level than their opponents, but will that show in the result? Hearts arrive with confidence and are determined to build on last season's dramatic near-miss. An away win in the UCL would provide a major boost.
Sturm Graz are the pre-match betting favourites with all major bookmakers. Will Fabio Ingolitsch's team deliver? Hearts are the underdogs, but that's the way they like it. Will the Jambos pull off an early-season upset?
Keep reading as football betting writer Frank Monkhouse uses the latest data available on the Flashscore app to find his best bets.
Sturm Graz v Hearts betting tips
Sturm Graz and BTTS @ 11/4 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Winner - Sturm Graz
My first prediction on Tuesday's Champions League qualifying second-round match is for the home team to win.
When following, it doesn't matter if the locals score an emphatic 5-0 win to put one foot in the next round or stumble to a 1-0 victory. You're also not concerned by which team qualifies at this stage. If Sturm Graz outscores Hearts, you'll land a profit.
The Blacks appear to hold all the aces here. They enjoy home advantage, and an experienced coaching staff know their best chance of going through comes from securing a strong win in the first leg.
At such an early stage of the 2026/27 campaign, with both teams lacking match sharpness and fitness, the backing of a home support will be crucial.
The Hearts squad will touch down in Austria full of hope and eager to make a strong start in their bid to reach the league phase. Edinburgh to Graz isn't a terribly demanding trip, but we're still in July, and the early exchanges of pre-season.
The demands of competing in the UCL are all new to the visitors, and it'll be weeks before they're fully up to speed.
Tip: Sturm Graz win @ 5/6 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Sturm Graz score more goals than Hearts in Austria, you'll beat the bookies and make a profit from this match.
Total goals - Over 2.5
Moving to my second suggested bet, we're focusing on goals. You'll find this wager in the total goals market, backing over 2.5.
You're no longer pinning your hopes on a team here. Instead, you're hoping Sturm Graz vs Hearts produces three or more goals. A 3-0 home win pays the same as a 2-2 draw or 2-1 away win. You're hoping for an entertaining 90 minutes.
It's still very early in the season, meaning we can't take too much from the form and recent results. I don't like to trust summer friendlies.
Most matches played at this time of year are about boosting fitness levels and bedding in new players. A Champions League campaign could be over before the squad is firing on all cylinders. Mistakes and fatigue are common.
Sturm Graz lost a Champions League qualifier to Bodo/Glimt last summer, suffering a 6-2 aggregate defeat. The Austrians lost the first leg 5-0 on the road, but responded with a 2-1 win at Worthersee Stadion.
Football fans will remember that Sturm Graz beat Rangers 2-1 at this venue in the Europa League, scoring two first-half goals to secure the result.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals @ 4/5 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Sturm Graz vs Hearts must end with more than two goals scored by both teams combined.
Result and BTTS - Sturm Graz and yes
If you followed my football previews and predictions last season or during this summer's World Cup, you'll know what comes next.
Where possible, I like to try and sign off with a pick at higher odds. These bets are best followed as a single off a small stake, hoping to land a decent return. On Tuesday evening in Austria, we shoot for a pick with odds of 29/10.
Having already selected Sturm Graz to win and predicted a high-scoring match, I'm sticking with the locals, but I expect the visitors to score at least once in defeat. You need both parts of the prediction to land for a profit.
Sturm Graz, cheered on by their supporters, should be strong enough to make home advantage count and secure an important win so early in the term. However, Hearts scored 67 Premiership goals last season. In May, they lost 3-1 at Celtic Park, drew 1-1 at Fir Park, and fought back from a goal down to beat Rangers 2-1 at Tynecastle.
In their pre-season warm-up matches, the Jambos beat St Mirren 3-1, lost 2-1 to Livingston, edged Arbroath 2-1, and defeated Spanish side Rayo Vallecano by the same scoreline. That hard-fought win over the La Liga outfit came on Friday, ensuring there's genuine belief and confidence in the away dressing room.
Tip: Sturm Graz win and BTTS @ 29/10 (bet365)
Bet explanation: To land this bet and snag a profit, you need Sturm Graz to win, but Hearts to get at least one goal.
Sturm Graz v Hearts odds
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The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.