Belgian football manager and former midfielder, head coach of Heart of Midlothian
Hearts trail 4-0 after the first leg in Austria but have moved to strengthen their squad as they bid to overturn the deficit in the second leg. Keeper Schwolow is departing for Mainz while new signings prepare for their Tynecastle bow.
Benfica leads 6-0 at half-time, extending to a 6-1 final in the first leg, as Hearts are overwhelmed in Lisbon. Benfica dominates with early goals and set-pieces, leaving Hearts facing an uphill second leg in Edinburgh. Vrancken laments poor defending and calls for composure in the return.
Liverpool's pre-season form continues as a substitution for Jeremie Frimpong signals overload rather than injury, with the Reds equal to a 2-2 draw after a dominant first half. The side now prepares for matches against Monaco and Como before the season opener at Newcastle.
Kyziridis has left Hearts for a Turkish club after 42 appearances, six goals and 11 assists last season. The transfer, pegged at around £1.7m, is being finalised as Hearts cashes in on a homegrown talent who arrived on a free last summer.
Rangers have struggled at the start of the Derek McInnes era, with mixed results in domestic and European fixtures. The team is chasing improvement after a difficult run that has left them trailing Celtic in the league and facing a pivotal return leg in Europe.
Celtic has moved ahead in their Champions League play-off after a 3-0 first leg in Glasgow, with Nygren and Durán scoring and Duran adding a third. LASK created chances; Celtic are in a strong position for the return leg in Linz.
Rangers have taken a narrow lead in their Conference League qualifier after Ryan Naderi scored in the 50th minute, with Cammy Devlin sent off late on for a reckless challenge. The tie now moves to the Czech Republic for the return leg, where Rangers will aim to seal progress.
Hibs have taken a major step toward the league phase of the Europa Conference League after a disciplined goalless first leg against Gent in Ghent. Elding’s saved penalty keeps the tie alive ahead of the return at Easter Road.
Hearts have qualified for the Conference League play-off after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Rapid Vienna, then winning 4-3 on penalties. A red card to Tomas Magnusson forced a reshuffle, with Pierre Kabore and Calvin Miller delivering equaliser and stoppage-time drama. Beau Reus saved twice in the shoot-out as Hearts advance.
Three Conference League play-off first legs take place on Aug. 20. Hearts host Rapid Vienna at Tynecastle, Gent welcome Hibs in Gent, and Motherwell face Freiburg at Fir Park. All matches are not on UK TV; UK viewers can watch via club streams for a fee. Referees are named for each match.
Hearts are unbeaten in eight, and travel to Ochilview to play Stenny in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final. Manager Vrancken stresses no excuses as the team confronts an unfamiliar surface and a credible underdog. Stenhousemuir lead the Championship and seek a first major semi-final, with Bartley insisting on clarity and structure.
Rangers have returned to league action following an extended international break that squads have described as too long. Managers cite travel, player dispersion, and training gaps, with Shankland and new Hibs boss Reedijk among the talking points. The break disrupted a six-game winning run and led to renewed scrutiny of squad management.
Hearts are five points off Celtic with Wouter Vrancken guiding a rebuild after a near-miss last season. Bosses have reshaped the squad and the club remains optimistic about a first league crown since 1960, despite stiff competition from the Old Firm.
Celtic have suffered a heavy European defeat, with Benfica running out 4-1 winners in Lisbon after a disastrous first half. The hosts fought back in the second 45 minutes, but Celtic remain winless in the group, with questions over defensive fragility and attacking output.