"I've dreamed of this since I was three or four!" C. Braga told the Daily Record, reflecting on his first-ever competitive European match. "Every time I saw football, of course, you play football and you like to watch these kind of games more than anything. To watch Champions League and just be possible to be a part of it is something really big."

The Portuguese forward's words capture the emotional tone Heart Of Midlothian has adopted since losing the Premiership title on the final day. For a club that led the Premiership for over seven months, the loss at Parkhead in the closing minutes was brutal. Braga was discovered in the Norwegian second division just 12 months before winning both PFA Scotland and SFWA Player of the Year, and now, despite the sting of missing out by 2 points, he is channeling disappointment into gratitude and forward momentum.

The temptation would be to dwell. Celtic took the title, Hearts finished 2nd, and the sense of what might have been lingers. But Braga has reframed the narrative. "When I start thinking deep, then I would pay anything to have a year as I had and the club had last year. It's kind of ungrateful if we look at that year and say it was a bad year. It was just a bad end, maybe, but it was a great year," he said.

The league finish supports that reading. Hearts accumulated 80 points across 38 matches. They were 2 points ahead of Rangers but 2 behind Celtic. That is the margin between being hailed and being haunted, and for most of the campaign, Hearts held the advantage. The title race was genuinely open until the final stage, and a young squad acquitted itself with maturity. Their record was 24 wins, 8 draws and 6 losses. Braga contributed 17 goals, but the season was never about one player. It was a collective effort that fell just short.

Moving forward through departures

The difficulty is that the summer brought real departures. Derek McInnes, who had been Hearts' manager, joined Rangers along with striker Lawrence Shankland and midfielder Cammy Devlin within two months. Losing a manager and two attacking players during the transition to a new season could have triggered a spiral of doubt. Instead, Hearts moved decisively.

The club signed nine new players. The most prominent early signal came from Amadou Ba-Sy, who scored twice in his first 45-minute appearance in a pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano. That output is not a guarantee of what he will deliver in the league, but it is evidence of intent and a sign that recruitment is moving beyond panic-filling toward genuine uplift.

Braga has been careful to avoid overselling the newcomers while making clear the club believes they can compensate. "Some important players go out but at the same time we had a lot of signings and I'm sure that a lot of the signings will help us a lot this year," he said. Squad cohesion is another matter. "The communication in the group is really good and we're doing well," he added. That carries weight when a club has lost its manager and two key figures in quick succession.

The Champions League first test

The first real examination arrives in the Champions League qualifying round against Sturm Graz. For Braga, who has never played a competitive European tie, the fixture is more than a fixture. It is vindication that despite the final-day loss, the 80-point season was one of genuine achievement.

Hearts may not have claimed the Premiership, but they earned their place in Europe. How they perform in Austria will tell much about whether this summer's recruitment can sustain what was built over the last year.

FAQ

Did Hearts win the Scottish Premiership 2025-26?

No. Hearts finished 2nd with 80 points, 2 points behind Celtic. They led the Premiership for over seven months before losing the title in the final moments at Parkhead. Claudio Braga scored 17 goals during their 24-win, 8-draw, 6-loss campaign.

Is Claudio Braga's first Champions League match against Sturm Graz?

Yes. Braga has never played a competitive European tie before. The Champions League qualifying round against Sturm Graz represents his first-ever taste of European football, a milestone he told the Daily Record he has dreamed of since childhood.

Why did Lawrence Shankland leave Hearts for Rangers?

Shankland, along with manager Derek McInnes and midfielder Cammy Devlin, departed to Rangers within two months of the 2025-26 season ending. Hearts responded by signing nine new players, including striker Amadou Ba-Sy, who scored twice in a 45-minute friendly appearance.

What did Claudio Braga say about Hearts' final-day loss to Celtic?

Braga refused to let the defeat define the summer. 'It was just a bad end, maybe, but it was a great year,' he told the Daily Record. His focus is on Hearts' achievement—80 points, 2nd place, and a seven-month title lead—and the Champions League opportunity ahead.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →