Last season, Olympique Lyonnais secured a fourth-place finish in Ligue 1, a performance that earned them a spot in the Champions League preliminary rounds. The French club now has just two stages to navigate before potentially reaching the prestigious Champions League group phase, a stage they haven’t experienced since 2020. This presents a considerable challenge, especially given their somewhat sluggish pre-season preparations, which culminated in a heavy 4-0 defeat against Betis Sevilla in their final warm-up fixture.

Meanwhile, Sparta Prague has already commenced its domestic season, having completed two rounds of the Chance Liga. The Czech side finished as vice-champions last season, trailing their rivals Slavia Prague. Their current campaign has seen a mixed start, with an initial 1-3 loss to Brno followed by a convincing 3-1 victory over Zlin. Under the guidance of coach Brian Priske, the Prague team previously demonstrated their European credentials in the 2025-2026 season by successfully qualifying for the Champions League group stage, overcoming Shamrock Rovers, Steaua Bucharest, and Malmö in the process.