Olympique Lyonnais will discover its UEFA Champions League third qualifying round opponent this Monday at noon. The possible adversaries include Union Saint-Gilloise, Sparta Prague, NEC Nijmegen, or the winner of Sturm Graz versus Heart of Midlothian.

The Rhône-based club suffered its first defeat of the pre-season on Saturday, falling 0-2 to Slavia Prague in Herzogenaurach, Germany, where Lyon began its week-long training camp. The Gones are scheduled to face their third qualifying round opponent between August 4-5 (first leg) and August 11 (return). As seeded teams, Lyon holds the highest UEFA coefficient (65.750) in this qualifying path, potentially guiding them through four matches (including playoffs on August 18-19 and 25-26) to the UEFA Champions League league phase.

A challenging path to Europe’s elite

Since the current qualifying structure (third round + playoffs) was introduced 13 seasons ago, only two French Ligue 1 teams have successfully navigated this route: AS Monaco in summer 2016 and Lille in 2024. Lyon previously fell short in August 2013, losing their playoff against Real Sociedad (0-2, 0-2) featuring Antoine Griezmann.

Possible opponents: strengths and weaknesses

• Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) – Directly qualified with the highest UEFA coefficient (48.000) among potential opponents. Belgian champions in 2025, cup winners in 2026, and runners-up to Club Bruges in the last league season, they narrowly missed the UEFA Champions League knockout stages last year after finishing 27th with 9 points, just behind Marseille.
• Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) – Second in the Czech league (UEFA coefficient: 38.250). Known for aggressive pressing and physical play, as experienced by Lyon in their 0-2 defeat to Slavia Prague.
• NEC Nijmegen (Netherlands) – Finished third in the Dutch Eredivisie (UEFA coefficient: 13.585). Directly qualified but with limited European experience.
• Sturm Graz vs Heart of Midlothian – The winner of this Austrian-Scottish tie (UEFA coefficients: 26.000 vs 18.000) awaits Lyon in the third round.

Lyon’s pre-season struggles

Lyon has conceded eight goals in four pre-season matches. Key absentees for the third qualifying round include Malick Fofana (ankle) and Moussa Niakhaté (suspension). The club will need to tighten its defensive organization, especially if facing NEC Nijmegen, noted for their physical Dutch league style.

Paulo Fonseca’s squad, which has shown attacking potential in pre-season, must now focus on defensive solidity. With the third qualifying round draw looming, every detail counts as Lyon aims to secure a place in the UEFA Champions League league phase.