OGC Nice to face Benfica in Champions League qualifiers | OneFootball

OGC Nice will make their return to European football this summer – and face a stern test in their third round qualifying tie. Franck Haise’s side have been drawn against Portuguese giants SL Benfica in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, with the first leg scheduled for the week of 5th August at the Allianz Riviera, and the return leg a week later in Lisbon.

The Côte d’Azur club are aiming to join PSG, Marseille and Monaco in the League Phase, but will first have to negotiate both this tie before a potential play-off round in late August. Nice finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season – missing out on automatic UCL qualification by a single point to Riviera rivals Monaco. Nice will hope to avoid the fate of Monaco, who were edged out by Benfica in last season’s League Phase after a thrilling 3-3 draw in Lisbon and a narrow 1-0 loss at Stade Louis II.

Les Aiglons will hope to follow Lille, who qualified for the Champions League proper last season after beating José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe and Slavia Prague to reach the League Phase.GFFN | George Boxall