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SportsLyon to face Union Saint-Gilloise, Sparta Prague, NEC Nijmegen or Hearts/Sturm Graz in UCL 3rd qualifying round
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Olympique Lyonnais, who finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season, will learn their opponents in the UEFA Champions League 3rd preliminary round draw on Monday. The team, managed by Paulo Fonseca, will start their season on August 4 or 5 and will face a non-seeded team. Potential opponents include Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise (runners-up in the Jupiler Pro League), Sparta Prague (2nd in the Czech championship), NEC Nijmegen (3rd in the Dutch championship), or the winner of a double tie between Scottish club Heart of Midlothian and Austrian side Sturm Graz. The article provides a preview of Lyon's path to the Champions League group stage.
Source report
Credit: @Maxppp
With the draw for the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League scheduled for next Monday, Olympique Lyonnais — who finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season — now has a clearer picture of its potential opponents.
Paulo Fonseca's side, who will begin their season as early as August 4 or 5, will face a non-seeded team.
Potential Opponents
In this context, the Rhône club could be drawn against:
- Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) — runners-up in the Jupiler Pro League
- Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) — 2nd in the Czech championship
- NEC Nijmegen (Netherlands) — 3rd in the Dutch championship
- The winner of the double tie between:
- Heart of Midlothian (Scotland) — who came close to winning the Scottish championship
- Sturm Graz (Austria)
Published on 07/16/2026 — 10:22 PM | Updated on 07/16/2026 — 10:23 PM
Learn more about: Champions League | Lyon
Source
Foot Mercato : Info Transferts Football - Actu Foot TransfertWestern
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Olympique Lyonnais Awaits Champions League Third Qualifying Round Draw