Just weeks after last season's final, the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League kicks off with FCSB facing Inter Club d'Escaldes on Wednesday evening.

Once European champions as Steaua Bucharest, the Romanian team will host their Andorran opponents in this first qualifying round tie.

After dominating both the regular season and championship round standings, FCSB claimed the Romanian title last season, marking their 28th domestic championship.

FCSB secured consecutive titles by finishing nine points ahead of rivals CFR Cluj, earning a spot in Champions League qualifying.

With seven places still available in the 36-team league phase, the qualification process leads to August's playoffs, and FCSB begins at home.

Under coach Elias Charalambous, FCSB advanced through the Europa League's early stages last season but fell 7-1 on aggregate to Lyon in the last 16, giving them valuable European experience.

Preparing for Wednesday's first leg at Stadionul Steaua, the Ros-Albastrii played friendlies against Dutch sides Almere and Utrecht, then won the Supercupa Romaniei with a stoppage-time goal from Risto Radunovic on Saturday.

This victory adds to their momentum as they aim for a strong start in Europe.

In contrast, Inter Club d'Escaldes, founded in 1991—five years after Steaua Bucharest's European triumph—have modest ambitions and no prior success in reaching the Champions League proper.

Based in Escaldes-Engordany, the Andorran side has only progressed to the second stage of Conference League qualifying in the past.

Last year, they were eliminated at that stage with an 8-3 aggregate loss to AEK Athens, though they later won Andorra's Primera Divisio and Copa Constitució.

As domestic double winners, they now challenge for Champions League qualification, starting with a difficult away match in Bucharest.

Even if they lose the two-legged tie—the return fixture is in Aixovall next week—they could still enter the Conference League preliminaries.

FCSB possible starting lineup: Tarnovanu; Cercel, M. Popescu, Ngezana, Radunovic; Sut, Chiriches; Politic, Olaru, Tanase; Alibec

Inter Club d'Escaldes possible starting lineup: Munoz; Da Cunha, Puentes, Alonso, Sanchez, Jilmar; Hermann, Mohedano, De La Torre, Assoubre; Lopez