Last season, Olympique Lyonnais secured a commendable 4th place finish in Ligue 1, a result that earned them a spot in the Champions League preliminary rounds. The French side now faces just two hurdles to reach the prestigious group stage of the competition, a stage they haven’t graced since 2020. This presents a formidable challenge, especially considering their somewhat underwhelming pre-season performances, highlighted by a significant 4-0 defeat against Betis Sevilla in their final warm-up match.

Meanwhile, Sparta Prague has already commenced their domestic campaign, having completed two rounds of the Chance Liga. The Czech runners-up from last season, who finished behind their rivals Slavia Prague, have experienced a mixed start to their current season. Their record so far includes a 1-3 loss to Brno and a 3-1 victory over Zlin. Under the guidance of Brian Priske, the Prague-based club previously demonstrated their European pedigree in the 2025-2026 season, successfully navigating past Shamrock Rovers, Steaua Bucharest, and Malmö to reach the Champions League group stage.