The race to secure one of the final seven spots in the 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League group stage intensified Tuesday night as the third qualifying round began with a mix of shocks, stalemates, and dominant displays across Europe.
Scottish giants Rangers produced the most emphatic result of the night, thrashing Viktoria Plzeň 3-0 at Ibrox Stadium. The win puts them in firm control heading into the second leg, with the Czech side needing a miracle to overturn the deficit.
Elsewhere, Ukrainian club Dynamo Kyiv suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat at home to Cypriot side Pafos, who are participating in the Champions League qualifiers for the first time in their history. Qarabağ also earned a crucial 1-0 away win over North Macedonia’s Shkëndija, keeping the Azerbaijani champions on course for another potential group stage appearance.
Swedish side Malmö and Danish champions Copenhagen played out a goalless stalemate in a tightly contested Scandinavian derby, leaving everything to play for in the return leg in Copenhagen. The draw adds pressure on both teams, as their UEFA coefficient rankings mean failure to qualify could be a significant financial setback.
Wednesday night’s fixtures promise even more fireworks, with Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg set to battle Belgian giants Club Brugge, while French side Nice will face Portuguese heavyweights Benfica in one of the round’s standout ties. All eyes will also be on Feyenoord’s clash with Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe — a tactical battle expected to deliver drama.
Other fixtures include Kairat Almaty versus Slovan Bratislava, Ludogorets against Ferencváros, and Lech Poznań hosting Crvena Zvezda. The third qualifying round remains crucial, as only 7 out of the remaining hopefuls will join the 29 clubs already qualified directly for the revamped league phase of the competition.
