The last time Heart of Midlothian finished third in the Scottish Premiership and entered the group stage of European competition work had to be undertaken at Tynecastle Park to bring it up to UEFA standards.

Significant funds were invested ahead of the 2022/23 season to ensure the ground earned category 4 status from Europe's governing body. That included a bigger TV studio and new astroturf on the Main Stand side while the biggest expense was new lights in the floodlights. The old bulbs which essentially had to be cranked up were replaced by LED lighting that provided a certain lux level, essentially the brightness they could reach.

Those renovations ate into the revenue generated from games in Gorgie as the club welcomed Fiorentina, Istanbul Basaksehir and RFS in the Conference League group stage. This time around, however, no such work has to be undertaken.

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That doesn't mean improvements aren't being made to Tynecastle Park. 

As well as work on the pitch, new dugouts will be installed with the old ones ripped out. Hearts got dispensation from UEFA the last time they were in the group stages due to a lack of seating within them. Even if the club hadn't been guaranteed at least eight games in Europe plans had already been made to improve them.

Another notable addition will be big screens in the concourses of the stadium so fans will be able to follow HeartsTV while LED will be installed during the season in the vomitories to replace static advertising.

"None of that is necessary but we don’t like to stand still," the club's commercial director Cat McCallum told Hearts Standard. "We just want to keep improving the place."

The club are better for the experience of hosting European games in the group stage two seasons ago. While qualifiers are more relaxed and clubs can sell and negotiate their own LED advertising and TV rights once the group stage begins UEFA takes greater control and essentially controls the stadium in the build-up to matches.

Hearts will host one qualifying match, a Europa League play-off tie, before at least three games in either the newly-formatted Europa or Conference League.