Champions League: Lyon's potential third-round opponents cut to five | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, Lyon will be seeded in the Champions League third qualifying round and learn their opponent on 20 July, with the field now down to five clubs.

They fly to Bavaria on Saturday for a week-long camp, facing Slavia Prague that evening at the Adidas Campus in Herzogenaurach, Germany. The tie could mirror those dates, with the first leg on four or five August and the return on 11 August. Sparta Prague, runners-up in the Czech league, are among the five.

Lyon hold the best UEFA coefficient on the league path, a route of four matches to the league phase. As seeds they initially avoid Bodö/Glimt and Olympiakos. They also avoid Fenerbahçe, who enter in the second round after finishing second in Türkiye.

After Friday’s draw for the previous round, Lyon cannot face Gornik Zabrze, who will play Fenerbahçe. Possible opponents are Union Saint-Gilloise, NEC Nijmegen, or the winner of Sturm Graz v Heart of Midlothian.

If they progress, a play-off follows on 18 or 19 August with the return on 25 or 26 August, and the draw on three August. They would still be seeded, avoiding Bodö/Glimt but not necessarily Olympiakos or Fenerbahçe if those sides advance.

Defeat in either round would send Paulo Fonseca’s side straight into the Europa League league phase.

Source: L'Équipe