Since the start of the season, Lille have been blowing hot and cold. Barely in Ligue 1, with only four victories in 14 days, here they are now first in their Champions League group and guaranteed to qualify at least for the Europa League, after their victory against Salzburg on Tuesday 23 November.
Held in check by Saint-Etienne, defeated in Clermont, but victorious against Marseille and Sevilla, the Losc oscillates between the very good and the really bad this season. Unable to string together several consecutive victories in Ligue 1, they have the unfortunate tendency to concede goals at the end of the game. The Mastiffs have even lost eight points in the last fifteen minutes since the start of the championship. Faced with this situation, the main section of Lille supporters met the coach, Jocelyn Gourvennec and some players, and issued a statement before the meeting against Salzburg: “To date, the performances of our club in the league are worrying, as much by the sporting results which frustrate each of us a little more each weekend, as by the collective and individual state of mind displayed by a large part of the workforce “, the fan section worried.
On the contrary, in the Champions League, the Mastiffs show a much better face and have won a second consecutive victory after that in Sevilla on November 2, a first in the history of the club. “It’s an amazing team this season, capable of both the worst and the best. Some players thought they would join big clubs in the transfer window and are not doing what they need in Ligue 1 but want to show a good image in the European Cup. They transcend in C1 “, observes Jorge, crossed on the square before the meeting against Salzburg and subscribed for decades.
However, according to Jonathan David, Lille do not choose their matches: “We give the same effort in the league and in the Champions League because each result is important. In the league, we are not where we want to be so we are working in training to better finish the matches”, says the Canadian striker, still scorer on Tuesday night.
His trainer, Jocelyn Gourvennec, also notes a lack of consistency, and would like to reverse the trend: “When I see the stadium as it is tonight, it’s a great satisfaction, it’s the first victory for Losc in the Champions League at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium and it’s not nothing. We would like it to be more often like that, in the league, but it’s also linked to the frustration over the points dropped. We would like to offer the public as many victories as possible. We must be able to do it more often “.
1 – Lille obtained its first home success in the Champions League since October 17, 2006 (3-1 v AEK Athens). This is also his very first success in this competition at the Pierre Mauroy stadium (in 9 matches). At last ! @losclive pic.twitter.com/OcutgyC2Ww
– OptaJean (@OptaJean) November 23, 2021
Lille will only need a draw in Wolfsburg on December 8 to qualify for the round of 16. In the event of a defeat, however, the qualifying places will be played on goal difference. The Mastiffs must now capitalize on their victories in the Champions League to finally get into the league. They will receive Nantes on Saturday at 5 p.m. to confirm their good European form.