Securing a win against Sparta Prague in tonight’s third qualifying round second leg could pave the way for Olympique Lyonnais to overcome Fenerbahçe or Sturm Graz in the playoffs on August 18-19 and 25-26. Historically, the French side has thrived when progressing through the August qualifiers, as demonstrated in the 2009-2010 season when they reached the Champions League semifinals after sweeping Anderlecht aside (5-1, 3-1) in August 2009.

August 1999: The Maribor Shock in the Champions League

Fresh off a blockbuster transfer for Brazilian striker Sonny Anderson from FC Barcelona for 125 million French francs (€18 million) — an astronomical sum at the time — Lyon entered European football for the first time in their history. The third-place finish in Ligue 1 had them dreaming big. Yet their Champions League debut turned into a nightmare against modest Slovenian side NK Maribor. Bernard Lacombe’s side suffered a 0-1 home defeat in the first leg on August 10, 1999, after conceding a late goal by Filipovic (89th minute), despite dominating play. The return leg in Slovenia on August 25 was even more disastrous, as Lyon crumbled 0-2 with goals from Simundza (24th) and Balajic (45th), exposing glaring weaknesses. The next day’s headlines in local media read « Lyon, the summer flop ».

Sent to the UEFA Cup, Lyon was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Werder Bremen (3-0, 0-4 after beating HJK Helsinki and Celtic Glasgow). In Ligue 1, they finished third again in May 2000, and were ousted in the quarterfinals of both domestic cups.

August 2013: Griezmann’s Revenge Against Lyon

Fourteen years later, Lyon had evolved into a powerhouse, claiming seven Ligue 1 titles (2002-2008) and reaching the Champions League semifinals in 2010 (losing to Bayern Munich). Yet in August 2013, the club — which had finished third in Ligue 1 again in May — faced another summer setback. After eliminating Grasshopper Zurich in the third qualifying round (1-0, 1-0), they faced Real Sociedad in the playoffs, a club that had previously rejected a young Antoine Griezmann for being too frail for their youth academy.

The French winger’s revenge was swift and brutal. On August 20 in Lyon, Griezmann scored in the 17th minute with an acrobatic left-footed volley that made headlines nationwide. Real Sociedad won 2-0, with Seferovic adding a second goal in the 49th minute. The return leg in Anoeta on August 28 saw Lyon fall again, this time 0-2, with Carlos Vela netting twice (67th, 90+1st). The side, managed by Rémi Garde and featuring players like Samuel Umtiti, Yoann Gourcuff, Alexandre Lacazette and Nabil Fekir, was humiliated.

Relegated to the Europa League, Lyon reached the quarterfinals (eliminated by Juventus 0-1, 1-2) but finished fifth in Ligue 1, crashed out in the Coupe de France Round of 16, and lost the Coupe de la Ligue final to Paris Saint-Germain 1-2.

August 2014: The Astra Giurgiu Humiliation in Europa League

« We got hammered by a bunch of nobodies we didn’t even know! » thundered Bernard Lacombe, then vice-president and special advisor to president Jean-Michel Aulas, summing up Lyon’s calamitous summer of 2014. The club was shockingly eliminated in the Europa League playoffs by Romania’s Astra Giurgiu, despite a 1-0 away win in the second leg on August 28, courtesy of a Jordan Ferri strike (23rd minute).

The first leg at Groupama Stadium on August 21 had already been a disaster. Lyon, now under Hubert Fournier, took the lead through Steed Malbranque (25th minute) but were pegged back by Fatai (71st) and Budescu (81st, penalty), losing 1-2. The rule at the time gave double weight to away goals in case of a draw, but Lyon’s hopes were dashed. The side, featuring Corentin Tolisso, Christophe Jallet and Maxime Gonalons, salvaged a second-place finish in Ligue 1 in May 2015, securing their return to the Champions League. Yet this summer’s mishap marked the end of an 18-season unbroken streak of European football for the club.