After three rounds of qualifying, the UEFA Champions League is down to the final stage before the league phase. The playoff round occurs over the next two weeks. Four sides, all from the Champions path, join the third qualifying round winners across seven ties to determine the final entrants into the competition’s league phase this fall.

Among the representatives are three former winners, a UCL debutant, and several European regulars. It promises to be a great round of football.

Here is The Deck’s preview of all seven ties. We will also predict which clubs will make it past this round and into the league phase.

UEFA Champions League Playoff Round: Champions Path

Two sides with plenty of recent experience in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, Ferencváros and Qarabağ, square off in what should be a fascinating contest. This comes three years after the pair last met, when the Azeri outfit prevailed 4-2 on aggregate in the third qualifying round. Fradi is looking for just their third appearance in the UCL proper, and first since 2020/21. They have lost just once in their last eight UCL qualifiers. Qarabağ, whose only showing in the competition’s group phase came back in 2017/18, is at this stage for the third time in four seasons. All three previous away games in this round saw them lose. Prediction: Ferencváros 

Former winner Crvena zvezda meets the new boys Paphos in a tie of great contrast. Red Star has never lost to Cypriot opposition in Europe across nine such games (3-6-0). However, they were eliminated from the 2020/21 UCL by Omonoia Nicosia on penalties. In fact, they have drawn the last five matches against sides from Cyprus, being knocked out twice. Paphos, enjoying their first-ever experience in the competition, has kept four clean sheets in their last six European contests. They are unbeaten in their last five qualifying round matches at home (4-1-0). Prediction: Paphos

Last season’s Europa League semifinalist Bodø/Glimt is one of three teams looking for a maiden showing in the Champions League proper, but they have to get past Sturm Graz first. It is the third time that the Norwegian side is involved in this round. They won the home leg, but lost the away fixture on both previous occasions, dropping them to the UEL. It is their first clash with an Austrian team. After finishing 30th in the league phase last fall, Sturm will want to return to the UCL proper to improve upon that showing. They have failed to come out on top in a two-legged tie in the UCL since 2011/12. Prediction: Bodø/Glimt

Celtic will have to go through UCL qualifiers for the first time in four years, as they take on Kairat Almaty. The Hoops have failed to successfully negotiate Champions League qualifying in each of their last four attempts. Remarkably, this is their third showdown with a Kazakh team in the UCL’s playoff stage. They did come out in both of the previous ties, beating Shakhter Karagandy in 2013/14, and then Astana four years later. Kairat will enjoy group phase football for just the second time, four years on from their UEFA Conference League appearance. They knocked out Aberdeen in the Europa League qualifiers a decade ago, prevailing 3-2 across both legs. Prediction: Celtic

Our tie of the round sees FC Basel take on FC København in a high-profile tie. Regulars in the UCL during the 2010s, this is Basel’s first journey in Europe’s premier club competition since 2019/20. They have not gotten past the qualifiers since 2017/18, when they made the last 16. This is their first tie versus Danish opposition since 1967/68, where they beat Hvidore IF in the European Cup first round. FCK beat Lugano 1-0 in both of their 2019/20 Europa League group stage games. They have not lost a two-legged playoff round tie in Europe since 2017/18, when Qarabağ sent them to the UEL. The Danes have yet to concede across four UCL games this term. Prediction: FC København

UEFA Champions League Playoff Round: Non-Champions Path

Fenerbahçe will be in it tough as they battle Benfica. It is the first time since 2013/14 that the Turkish giants have gone this far in the Champions League. They have never featured in the UCL proper under the current format of having a playoff round. It will be their seventh and eighth matches versus Benfica, who they currently own a 2-1-3 record against. The two-time winners from Lisbon have made it a regular thing for them to feature in the UCL main rounds, something they have done in 14 of the last 15 seasons. Owning a 7-6-4 record versus Turkish clubs, Benfica knocked out their opponents in the 2012/13 Europa League semifinals before losing in the final. Prediction: Benfica

We end with the tie between Club Brugge and Rangers. The Belgians are looking for a seventh appearance in the UCL proper in the last eight years. They have not been knocked out of a qualification tie in any competition since 2017/18. In fact, their last two showings in the Champions League saw them make the round of 16 before bowing out. Rangers did defeat their opponents in the 1992/93 group stage. Overall, the Gers have an impressive 10-1-2 record against Belgian clubs. Both of their defeats came in this tournament, and on the road. Prediction: Club Brugge