UEFA Champions League PREVIEW 26 Aug 2026: Four play-off second legs, and four ties still level

Four Champions League play-off second legs on Wednesday, and not one of the first legs produced a winner. AEK Athens drew 0-0 at Levski Sofia, Fenerbahce and Lyon drew 1-1 in Istanbul, Slovan Bratislava and Celje drew 1-1 in Bratislava, and Dinamo Zagreb were pegged back to 2-2 by Viking at Maksimir. Each winner takes a place in the league phase; each loser drops into the Europa League league phase, so nobody involved goes home empty-handed.

Lyon host Fenerbahce at the Groupama Stadium with the tie as open as it was when Lois Openda put Lyon ahead on 40 minutes and Mason Greenwood levelled two minutes into the second half. Fenerbahce travel short-handed: Kerem Akturkoglu and Marco Asensio were hurt against Konyaspor, Akturkoglu knocked unconscious in a head collision, while Mert Gunok, Caglar Soyuncu and Jayden Oosterwolde are also out. Ismail Kartal called it an opening rather than a loss, saying everyone who takes the field will do their best. Paulo Fonseca rested Openda, Malick Fofana and Corentin Tolisso in a 2-0 win over Toulouse and gets them back; he says his players want to write history for the club, and warns that Fenerbahce are not coming to defend. French police have graded the night high-risk, level four of five, with around 2,000 escorted Fenerbahce supporters expected. Lyon have not been in the Champions League proper since the 2019-20 semi-finals.

AEK Athens have the better platform after a goalless night in Sofia, where Luka Jovic volleyed against the crossbar from a Lovro Majer pass and Levski goalkeeper Svetoslav Vutsov was named man of the match. Levski arrive at the Allwyn Arena without Akram Bouras, Oliver Kamdem, Mustapha Sangare, Radoslav Kirilov and Stipe Vulikic, though the draw stretched an unbeaten run to 19 matches and a sixth successive clean sheet, and they warmed up by beating Spartak Varna 6-0. Julio Velazquez says everyone at the club believes they can put the Greeks out. Marko Nikolic was disappointed not to win but pointed to the better pitch in Athens letting his side play faster. Jovic scored twice against Iraklis in the meantime. AEK have not been in this competition since 2018-19; Levski not since 2006-07.

Viking take Dinamo Zagreb to the SR-Bank Arena having come from two down in Croatia, Dion Drena Beljo scoring inside six minutes and Mateo Lisica inside ten before Peter Christiansen pulled one back and captain Zlatko Tripic equalised six minutes before half time. Dinamo had 23 attempts to Viking's six that night and 60 per cent of the ball, and they are chasing a tenth appearance in the group or league phase. They will do it without goalkeeper Ivan Filipovic, suspended, with Ivan Nevistic expected to deputise; Fran Topic and Miha Zajc are fit. Viking are without Anders Baertelsen, who has a broken foot, plus Martin Ove Roseth and Veton Berisha. Their only previous Champions League campaign was in 1992, when Barcelona beat them in the first round. Tripic, born in Croatia and capped by Norway, called it the most important single match he has played for the club, and said Viking must write a new chapter in its history.

Celje meet Slovan Bratislava in front of a sold-out Stadion Z dezele, some 11,500 expected, after Roman Cerepkai put Slovan ahead on 15 minutes just two days after joining and Milot Avdyli curled in an equaliser on the stroke of half time from Mario Kvesic's pass. Slovan are managed by Yaya Toure, appointed this summer when Vladimir Weiss left for the Slovakia national team, and he was unhappy with the first-leg referee. Vitor Campelos reported no injuries and believes his side can go through while staying, as he put it, on realistic ground. Kvesic has four goals in five qualifying matches this summer and Benjamin Verbic is back at Celje eleven years after leaving. Slovan have doubts over Mykola Kukharevych and Tigran Barseghyan, while Andraz Sporar, a Slovenian, has recently returned from injury. Celje would be only the second Slovenian club to reach the league phase, after Maribor.