Pool placing

Clermont fell behind Ulster Rugby in Pool 3 after an 18-13 defeat to the Irish province in Belfast in Round 2, but they won all their remaining matches – including a 29-13 win over Ulster in Round 5 – to bag top spot and that all-important home quarter-final.

Lockdown news

Clermont have seen several key players depart, including Georgian prop Davit Zirakashvili (retired), Scotland scrum-half Greig Laidlaw (Japan) and English full-back Nick Abendanon (Vannes). However, they have welcomed scrum-half Sébastien Bézy from Toulouse, Fijian prop Peni Ravai, ex-France hooker Adrien Pélissié from Bordeaux-Bègles and Japan wing Kotaro Matsushima.

Quarter-final record

Clermont’s recent record in Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals has been mightily impressive, with only one defeat in six ties – in their last appearance at that stage against Racing 92 in 2018. Prior to 2011/12, the French club also reached the last eight three times, but they lost all three.

European history

All Clermont’s European success has come in the Challenge Cup, a trophy they have won three times – in 1999, 2007 and last year. Three times they have made the Heineken Champions Cup final and three times they have lost – to RC Toulon twice (in 2013 and 2015) and Saracens once (2017).

With the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals just around the corner, we are taking an in-depth look at all eight sides who will be competing for a spot in the showpiece final in October and today it is Clermont’s turn to come under the microscope.