Lyon to learn its third qualifying round opponent on Monday in Champions League
Olympique Lyonnais will discover its opponent for the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round this Monday at noon. The Gones could face Union Saint-Gilloise, Sparta Prague, NEC Nijmegen, or the winner of the Sturm Graz-Hearts tie.
Following a 0-2 defeat to Slavia Prague on Saturday, the first setback of their pre-season (three wins prior), Olympique Lyonnais will learn its third qualifying round opponent at noon today. The French side, currently on a week-long training camp in Herzogenaurach, Germany, will face its future adversary in the first leg on August 4 or 5, with the return match slated for August 11. As top seeds, Lyon boasts the highest UEFA coefficient (65.750) in this qualifying path, a ranking that should theoretically ease its journey through the four matches required—including a play-off round on August 18-19 and 25-26—to reach the Champions League group stage.
A bumpy road for Lyon in recent years
Lyon’s path to the Champions League group stage has proven treacherous over the past thirteen seasons under the current qualifying format (third round + play-offs). Only two Ligue 1 teams have succeeded in navigating this path: Monaco in the summer of 2016 and Lille in 2024. The Gones themselves fell short in August 2013, losing the play-off against Real Sociedad and Antoine Griezmann’s side (0-2, 0-2).
Union Saint-Gilloise: the strongest potential opponent
One of the most formidable adversaries Lyon could face is Union Saint-Gilloise. The Belgian side, directly qualified for this round with a UEFA coefficient of 48.000, topped the list among the five potential opponents. As Belgian champions in 2025 and cup winners in 2026, the Brussels-based club narrowly missed out on the Champions League group stage last season after finishing level on points with Marseille in the 27th position. Their campaign included a memorable 2-3 victory over OM, though they fell short on goal difference.
Union’s defensive system and preparations
Union Saint-Gilloise, known for its structured 5-3-2 formation, has maintained a largely stable squad this summer. Notable absences include Dutch goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen (2.04 m), who is set to depart, and right winger Anan Khalaili, currently sidelined due to a failed transfer to Inter Milan (€32 million including bonuses, a record fee for the club) following unsatisfactory cardiac tests. The Belgian side has been in pre-season since June 24, playing three friendly matches: two victories against Romanian side S. Bucarest (4-0 on July 7 and 2-1 against Danish team Aarhus) and a 3-3 draw against PSV Eindhoven in two 75-minute halves, followed by a 0-4 loss. Union will face Ostend in an upcoming friendly and play a closed-door match against Lille on Saturday, August 2, before facing Club Bruges in the Belgian Super Cup on July 31.
Sparta Prague and NEC Nijmegen: two other potential hurdles
Lyon could also draw Sparta Prague, the Czech side ranked second in their domestic league with a UEFA coefficient of 38.250. The Gones’ experience against Slavia Prague last Saturday—where they struggled against an aggressive, individually-marked defensive system—will serve as a useful reference. Paulo Fonseca, Lyon’s head coach, described Slavia as « a team that commits many fouls to stop us, making it difficult to attack. »
Alternatively, Lyon may face NEC Nijmegen, the third-placed team in the Dutch Eredivisie with a UEFA coefficient of 13.585. The Dutch side is also directly qualified for this round.
Sturm Graz vs Hearts: the wildcard
The final potential opponent is the winner of the second-round tie between Austrian champions Sturm Graz (UEFA coefficient 26.000) and Scottish side Hearts, who finished second in the 2025-2026 Scottish Premiership. The first leg will be played in Austria tomorrow, with the return match in Scotland on July 28.
