UEFA Conference League PREVIEW 12 Aug 2026: Copenhagen and Rapid Wien close in on Conference League play-offs

FC Copenhagen host Debrecen on Wednesday holding a near-unassailable lead in their Conference League third qualifying round tie after a 3-0 win in Hungary last week. Gabriel Pereira scored in the 21st minute and Robert in the 35th, and the third arrived at the very end, an Andreas Cornelius header from a Mohamed Elyounoussi cross at a corner. Debrecen, managed by Gert Remmel, arrive in Denmark after a heavy summer squad overhaul that has left them short on cohesion, with an extensive injury list adding to their problems and Balazs Dzsudzsak still their most recognisable creative outlet in what remains of the side.

SK Rapid take a similarly strong position into their home leg against Paide after winning 4-1 in Tallinn. The Austrians were level at 1-1 at the break, Bendeguz Bolla's fifth-minute penalty cancelled out by Daniel Luts in the 41st, before the tie turned in the closing minutes: Moulaye Haidara on 83, Petter Dahl on 85, and Haidara again in stoppage time.

GKS Katowice face a much bigger task at home to Hapoel Tel Aviv, trailing 2-0 from a first leg the Israeli side played away from Israel. That leg was staged at the DVTK Stadion in Miskolc, Hungary, and it was there that S. Turiel's fifth-minute strike put Hapoel in front, R. Alkoukin adding the second in the 18th. Katowice are back in European competition after an absence of more than three decades, a return they earned by recovering from a 2-1 defeat away to Zilina to win the home leg 3-1. Whoever goes through meets Atalanta in the play-off round.