Nice must pass two perilous rounds to reach the Champions League

Nice finished the Championship just off the podium and has the right to dream of participating in the league phase of the next Champions League. To do so, the Gym will have to overcome two obstacles. First, the third preliminary round, scheduled for August 5-6 and 12, when Ligue 1 is scheduled to begin on the 15th. Then a possible play-off, with the first leg on August 19 or 20 and the return leg a week later.

The Côte d'Azur side are unlikely to be among the top four seeds in the third round draw on July 21. With a UEFA rating of 20,000 points, the Gym are ahead of other teams competing at this stage: Benfica, Feyenoord, Club Bruges if they finish second in Belgium, and Fenerbahçe if they finish in that position in Turkey, as strongly expected. Glasgow Rangers, if they make it past the second preliminary round, would become one of the top seeds and therefore Nice's potential opponents.

If the Aiglons qualify for the play-offs, they would face another club from the third round for one of the two qualifying spots in the Champions League. If they are eliminated in either the third round or the play-offs, they will be relegated to the Europa League.