Viking Stavanger faces Bayern Munich in Champions League after FCSB exit four years ago

Earlier match preview: this report was published before kick-off. It is not a current fixture update or a final-result report. See recorded SuperLiga fixtures and results.

Viking Stavanger is set to face Bayern Munich in the second round of the Champions League on Tuesday evening. This high-profile fixture marks a significant milestone for the Norwegian club as they compete against one of Europe's elite teams.

The current campaign stands in sharp contrast to the recent fortunes of FCSB. The Romanian side was eliminated from the Conference League in the second preliminary round by Auda from Latvia. FCSB lost the tie with a 3-7 aggregate score, ending their European hopes early in the season.

The two clubs have a shared history in European competition. In August 2022, FCSB eliminated Viking Stavanger in the Conference League play-off round. Under the guidance of coach Nicolae Dică, FCSB advanced with a 4-3 aggregate score after a tense two-legged affair.

The 2022 tie featured a dramatic turnaround. FCSB lost the first leg 2-1 at Arena Națională in Bucharest. However, they secured their progression by winning the return leg 3-1 in Norway, overturning the deficit to reach the next stage.

The decisive moment in that 2022 encounter came late in the match. Radunovic scored the qualifying penalty for FCSB in the 90+4 minute of the return leg. This goal sealed the victory and ensured FCSB moved forward in the competition at the expense of Viking.

FCSB has experienced mixed results in Europe since that victory. The club was eliminated by Nordsjaelland in the 2023 Conference League preliminaries. They later achieved a notable run by reaching the Europa League round of 16 in the 2024-2025 season.

The most recent completed European campaign for FCSB ended in disappointment. In the 2025-2026 season, the team finished 27th in the Europa League group stage. This position meant they did not qualify for the knockout phases of the tournament.

Viking Stavanger earned their place in this season's Champions League by winning the Norwegian title in 2025. This domestic success granted them entry into the Champions League preliminaries, setting the stage for their current continental adventure.

The Norwegian side made history by qualifying for the Champions League main phase for the first time. They achieved this feat by defeating Dinamo Zagreb 5-3 on aggregate in the qualifying rounds, securing their spot among Europe's top clubs.

FCSB has not participated in the Champions League group stage for over a decade. The club last appeared in the competition in 2013, when it was known as Steaua București. Since then, their European appearances have been limited to the Europa and Conference Leagues.