For their reunion with the final stages of the Champions League, Tuesday, February 22, Lille failed to be effective against Chelsea. Punished for defensive inattention on a corner then on transition, the Mastiffs complicated the task for the return match. With only two shots on target, very little dangerous, Jocelyn Gourvennec’s players did not put Edouard Mendy in difficulty.
Leo Jardim: 5/10
For his third game since his return to the Lille 11, Leo Jardim did not have a bad game. Author of a beautiful parade on a strike from Kai Havertz, he lost on the corner which followed against this same Havertz. Well positioned against Marcos Alonso at the end of the first period, he can only lose to Pulisic face-to-face.
Zeki Celik: 5/10
Totally absent from the marking of Christian Pulisic on the goal of the American, Zeki Çelik had however until then achieved a fairly good match with activity in his lane. Often pressing as soon as the opposing ball is recovered, he scratched a few balls at the feet of the Blues. A performance tainted by his lack of withdrawal on the second goal from which it is he who loses the ball.
Jose Fonte: 5/10
The Lille captain failed to prevent his team’s defeat. Solid behind with his counterpart, he could only see the passivity of his teammates on the corner which leads to the opening of the score and on the counter-attack concluded by Pulisic. A frustrating game for him.
Sven Botman: 5.5/10
Still as imperial in the air and on the ground, Sven Botman won six of his seven duels. Combined with his 47 successful passes out of 52, the Dutchman still put the opposing attack in difficulty, which only succeeded by passing through the sides. Offensively, he managed to place a header from a corner, not powerful enough to worry Mendy but which had the merit of taking the path of the goal.
Tiago Djalo: 4/10
Repositioned on the left for the needs of the team, Tiago Djalo struggled against the onslaught of Ziyech and Azpilicueta. On Kai Havertz’s goal, he lets go of the German’s mark, which goes to propel his head into the back of the net. Offensively, he also had a lot of trouble with the ball to worry the Blues. He is replaced by Gabriel Gudmundsson, full-back by profession (75th).
Benjamin André: 5.5/10
It was the Lille player who proved to be the most effective in the midfield. Recovery, little waste, the former Rennais moved a lot in the heart of the game to revive and press Chelsea. Clean and efficient in the link between defense and attack.
Amadou Onana: 4.5/10
Unlike Benjamin André, we felt Amadou Onana lost. Very little present in the recovery with only thirteen successful passes, he lost twelve balls and only recovered two. A significantly negative ratio for a performance to forget. He is also the first to leave, replaced by Yilmaz (65th), little seen in this match.
Xeka: 4/10
He had fun scaring himself. With plenty of dangerous loose balls, he could have been the base for a London goal. His defensive withdrawal is quick on Chelsea’s second goal but his run is not the best, he closes the axis and returns to Fonte rather than cutting Pulisic’s run and cannot intervene at the time of the strike.
Renato Sanches: 6.5/10
It was he who stood out the most on his right side. For his 28th match in the Champions League, the Portuguese lit up the game on each of his ball shots. His forward projections mostly broke lines and allowed Lille to advance. He was replaced by Hatem Ben Arfa (81st) who failed to create differences.
Jonathan Bamba: 4.5/10
With three interceptions, four successful tackles and twelve recovered balls, he is the Lille player with the best statistics in these areas. Symbol of a strong and effective pressing to hinder Chelsea in the recovery, he will however have been very discreet offensively. He lacked the offensive projection and the danger from the left to help his team even more.
Jonathan David: 4/10
We just haven’t seen it. Struggling alone on the attacking front, the Canadian struggled to stand out and lost seven balls. He tried his luck twice without ever making Edouard Mendy tremble. He was replaced in the 81st minute by rookie Edon Zhegrova.
Jocelyn Gourvennec: 4.5/10
The Breton was too cautious. By aligning Jonathan David alone at the forefront in an unprecedented team composition, the Lille tactician was wrong. His team lacked attacking momentum. In the other area, Lille also showed weaknesses, especially in the hallways. The choice of Tiago Djaló, tenured on the left for the third time this season did not pay off.