Lille, Red Star Belgrade Advance To Champions League Despite Challenges

Lille secured their spot in the Champions League despite a 2-1 loss to Slavia Prague. The French team advanced with a 3-2 aggregate score, having won the first leg 2-0 at home. Edon Zhegrova equalised for Lille after Christos Zafeiris put Slavia ahead. Ivan Schranz restored Slavia's lead, but they couldn't overcome the aggregate deficit.

Red Star Belgrade will join Lille in Thursday's draw after defeating Bodo/Glimt 2-0, securing a 3-2 aggregate victory. This win ensures their place in the league phase of the competition.

Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava and Dinamo Zagreb also confirmed their spots in the league-phase draw. These teams will be part of the upcoming UEFA Champions League season.

Switzerland's Young Boys, Czech champions Sparta Prague, and RB Salzburg qualified on Tuesday. These teams will compete in the league phase alongside other European clubs.

The confirmed pots for the league phase draw were announced by UEFA Champions League on August 28, 2024:

These results set up an exciting group stage as teams from across Europe prepare to compete for football's most prestigious club trophy.