Strasbourg head into this decisive playoff after a steady build-up to the new season. Patrick Vieira’s side took confidence from their Ligue 1 opener, edging Metz 1–0 away, and they’ve also shown promise in friendlies with a narrow win at Sturm Graz and a draw with Mainz. Still, defeats against Galatasaray and Udinese exposed defensive lapses that cannot be repeated on a European stage.

Brøndby arrive in strong domestic form, beating Randers and Vejle in the Danish Superliga, while also dismantling Víkingur Reykjavik 4–0 in the second leg of their qualifier. That emphatic response came after a shock first-leg defeat in Iceland, underlining their inconsistency but also their attacking firepower when on song.

H2H