A week after the setbacks of Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) – eliminated by Real Madrid in eighteen minutes – Lille Olympique Sporting Club (LOSC) failed to tip their round of 16 second leg into the madness of an epic reversal.
Beaten like three weeks ago by Chelsea, Wednesday March 16 on their lawn (1-2), Lille leave the Champions League. Without having been unworthy; but without having worried the reigning European champions either, who are continuing on their way, threatened by the sanctions imposed on their Russian president, Roman Abramovich.
Jocelyn Gourvennec had no illusions. “I must be the only one to believe in a possible exploit”, supported the Lille coach on Tuesday, at a press conference. But, he asserted, “In this configuration, the LOSC always responds”. On the field of the Pierre-Mauroy stadium, they were eleven to believe in the words of their coach at kick-off, and to want to write their story. The Lille approached the game without asking any questions. Although deprived of Renato Sanches, one of their best players, injured, José Fonte’s teammates pushed straight away.
For the first time, Lille hosted a Champions League round of 16 in its enclosure, and the crowded stadium responded. In 2007, during the Dogues’ only incursion so far at this stage of the competition, it had not yet emerged from the ground, and the club had to relocate its “home” meetings to its rival Lensois. Also Lille wanted to respond to their fans, and bite the European champion entry.
“They were clinical”
“Our instructions were to try to break their ball outings with a fairly high pressing, and we did it quite well throughout the game”, said Lille midfielder Amadou Onana after the match. Pressing the Chelsea players, preventing them from playing, the teammates of a restless Burak Yilmaz started the game well. And opened the scoring by their Turkish striker (1-0, 38e), on a penalty awarded after the intervention of video arbitration (VAR). At this moment, Lille was only one goal away from winning extra time.
But northern enthusiasm was dampened by London’s efficiency. In added time of the first period, the Blues – who played in yellow – pierced the Lille defense, and equalized by Christian Pulisic (1-1, 45 + 3e). Their only shot on target of the period. ” A blow “recognized Jocelyn Gourvennec, who remobilized his troops at the break.
In vain. Even if the Lille tried to deceive the London goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy once again – a header from Xeka following a cross from Burak Yilmaz which shook the English post -, a few minutes later, the captain of the Blues, Cesar Azpilicueta put an end to the suspense, scoring the winning goal, the culmination of a new incisive breakthrough (1-2, 71e). “They were like great players: clinical. We haven’t given them much but they are passing”regretted Jocelyn Gourvennec after the meeting.
If the Lille residents felt that they had not gone far from “to wobble” the reigning European champion – the words of Gourvennec – Chelsea managed the game, as in the first leg. “What is it playing on? Small details; we had a great first half, they scored on their only chance in the first half. We had a good game but we lost.summarized striker Jonathan David, at the microphone of RMC Sport.
Still, for Lille, the step was too high. Reigning French champion but struggling in the league (6e), the northern club failed to repeat its performance in the group stages. Because of the opponent, facts of the game – the simultaneous injuries of two defenders in the second half –; but also because of Lille’s sports policy. Difficult not to note the absences of Jonathan Ikoné and Reinildo, sold during the winter transfer window (to Fiorentina and Atletico Madrid), adding to the list of players who have left the North since the title.
“Stay focused in this time when we don’t know where we are going”
Far from being brilliant, sometimes abused but never worried, the reigning European champions did not have to force their talent. On the pitch, Cesar Azpilicueta’s teammates ignored the situation of their club, whose future is uncertain to say the least. “Here, everyone knows what they have to do, that’s why we are able to stay focused and get results in this period when we don’t know where we are going”, said, satisfied, coach Thomas Tuchel.
The sanctions taken against the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich – owner of the London team since 2003 – because of the war in Ukraine put the club in danger. Thomas Tuchel and his men are hardly sure of being able to continue their journey in the Champions League.
Will they be able to play the quarter-finals? Nothing is less certain, as the situation around the assets of Roman Abramovich is so uncertain. “You just ruined my evening”sighed Thomas Tuchel, after a journalist confirmed to him that the next European match of the Blues risked being canceled due to the extra-sporting sanctions aimed at the owner of his club.
“The only thing we can do is focus on football and keep winning and hope things go back to normal”, concluded London defender Marcos Alonso after the match. On Wednesday, unable to tip the game into the irrational, Lille paid the price for this state of mind. And from mid-March, there is no longer a French club in the Champions League.