Rapid Vienna vs Hearts - prediction, team news, lineups

Rapid Vienna invited Hearts to the Allianz Stadion connected Wednesday for the 2nd limb of their Conference League playoff qualifying circular clash. 

The necktie remains level pursuing a 2-2 gully successful the first-leg successful Scotland, leaving everything inactive to play for successful Austria.

Match preview

Rapid Vienna secured their spot successful the 2026-27 Conference League qualifiers acknowledgment to winning the Europa League playoffs against SV Ried 4-2 connected aggregate astatine the extremity of the 2025-26 Austrian Bundesliga season. 

Johannes Thorup's broadside finished 5th successful the standings to publication their spot successful the playoff fixture, and aft a disappointing 2-1 first-leg defeat, Rapid Vienna secured a 3-0 triumph successful the 2nd limb to guarantee their spot successful this term's qualifiers.

Rapid Vienna built connected their 3-0 second-leg triumph during pre-season, winning 4 and drafting 2 of their six fixtures, and that momentum has been maintained truthful acold this season. 

Rapid Vienna person won 8 and drawn 1 of their 9 competitory fixtures astatine the commencement of 2026-27, including beating Santa Coloma 9-3 connected aggregate and Paide Linnameeskond 6-1 connected aggregate successful the past 2 rounds of Conference League qualifiers. 

Their 100% winning commencement did travel to an extremity successful Scotland past week, but Thorup volition beryllium pleased his broadside managed to travel from down to seal a 2-2 draw, giving Rapid Vienna the vantage arsenic they instrumentality location for the 2nd leg. 

Hearts, meanwhile, person endured an inconsistent commencement to the 2026-27 season, with peculiar difficulties connected the road. 

New manager Wouter Vrancken, who was appointed aft Derek McInnes' determination to Rangers, mislaid each of his archetypal 4 competitory games astatine the helm, featuring Hearts' elimination from the Champions League qualifiers. 

Hearts besides suffered a humiliating 6-1 first-leg decision to Benfica successful the Europa League 3rd qualifying round, and contempt drafting 1-1 successful the reverse fixture, the Jambos were subsequently relegated to the Conference League.

However, since that 6-1 nonaccomplishment Hearts person managed to improve, with 2 wins and 2 draws successful their past 4 matches, including the 1-1 gully with Benfica and the 2-2 stalemate with Rapid Vienna. 

Hearts volition gully assurance from taking 17 shots to Rapid Vienna's 9 during the archetypal leg, but the Jambos volition person to flooded their miserable distant signifier astatine the opening of this word if they are to unafraid a spot successful the league phase. 

Vrancken is yet to oversee an distant triumph arsenic Hearts manager, with the Jambos losing each of their 3 matches connected the roadworthy truthful acold this term, conceding a sizeable 12 goals successful that time.

Rapid Vienna Conference League form:

Rapid Vienna signifier (all competitions):

Hearts Conference League form:

Hearts signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Rapid Vienna are contending with 5 imaginable wounded absences, including Dominic Vincze (muscle), Martin Ndzie (muscle), Daniel Nunoo (knock), Claudy M'Buyi (muscle) and Andrija Radulovic (meniscus).

Nikolaus Wurmbrand and Nicolas Bajlicz arrived from the seat and combined for the equaliser successful the first-leg, and the duo could beryllium rewarded with starts successful this one.

Meanwhile, Hearts volition stay without the availability of Malachi Fagan-Walcott (ankle), Craig Halkett (Achilles), Stephen Kingsley (hamstring) and Ageu (thigh) owed to ongoing injuries.

Teenager James Wilson has scored successful each of his past 2 substitute appearances, including successful the first-leg against Rapid Vienna, and the guardant could pb the enactment alongside Claudio Braga connected Tuesday.

Rapid Vienna imaginable starting lineup:

Hedl; Bolla, Cvetkovic, Raux-Yao, Horn; Seidl, Amane; Demir, Bajlicz, Wurmbrand; Kara

Hearts imaginable starting lineup:

Reus; Altena, McEntee, Findlay, McCart; Renaud, Spittal; Miller, Braga, McPake; Wilson

We say: Rapid Vienna 1-2 Hearts

Hearts whitethorn person mislaid their 3 distant games this term, but the Jambos were the much threatening squad passim the archetypal limb against Rapid Vienna, and we judge they volition negociate to replicate that and yet get implicit the enactment successful this one.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.