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Lille, the “young one” that no one expected is at the gates of the round of 16

Leader of his group after his victory over Salzburg (1-0) on Tuesday, Lusk will play a place in the last 16 against Wolfsburg as the master of his own destiny. A great surprise.

Lille, first with eight points one day before the end of the group matches. Even if the August 26 draw looked open on paper, few bookmakers would have risked betting so big at the end of the summer that the North would qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

It must be admitted that the recent past did not really demand the qualification of the orphan club after the departure of coach Christophe Galtier last summer. Their last group stage trip from C1 ended in fourth place with 1 point over the clock (1 draw, 5 defeats in 2019-20). In 2011-2012 the campaign was more solid, but despite everything, it was not enough (4th place with six points).

However, the fate of the mastiffs will be in their hands on December 8 when they move into the Wolfsburg park, the last of the group. Win or draw and the round of 16 door will open automatically, as in the 2006-2007 season (elimination against Manchester United).

Given Lille’s strong performance on Tuesday night against Salzburg (1-0), the French club could be reasonably optimistic. “We said we’d play C1 300% and that’s what we do, we show it in all the matches. We are honored by the competition and the first French league. This is LOSC’s first Champions League victory at Stade Pierre-Moroy and it’s nothing.Lille coach Jocelyn Jorvinek has rejoiced who has only suffered one defeat in his eight encounters against PSG. And even if LOSC hasn’t always won in recent weeks (only two), the Mastiff Club hasn’t dressed up its name well in a cowardly rarely seen plate The results (4 draws).

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Jonathan David, the #1 asset in Losc today

So the lights are green for the French champions on a budget (150 million euros) to meet the C1 leaders at the start of 2022. The team also owes a lot to Jonathan David in great form. at recent days. The Canadian, the Austrian national team’s top scorer, has netted seven times in the last eight games! “My level is necessarily good because I score a lot, but then it remains a group success because my teammates are the ones who put me in a good position to finish the action (goal). I live it really well, but the most important thing for me is always winning. Then, if my goals can help the team, that’s fine“He admitted one of the club’s offensive assets at the moment.

Moribund in the league, only 12th, the current champion finds a color on the European chessboard. Against Wolfsburg, who will also have a close qualification (in the event of a win over the French club), Lille could also lose out significantly by finishing third and moving to the Europa League. A consolation prize would nonetheless have a slightly bitter taste for Jocelyn Gurvinec: “Nothing has been done and it will take another big battle at Wolfsburg. We have odds, but at the same time, given what we’ve done, to be the first team in your group in 5 days, we want to finish first so we’ll have to go to win in Wolfsburg. There will be a European competition at Lille in February, hopefully now for the best.»

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Le Lusk qualified for the Round of 16 then
Won in Wolfsburg (and will take first place in the group)
A draw with Wolfsburg (he will take first place if a draw with Wolfsburg and Salzburg does not beat Seville and the second if Salzburg does not beat Seville)

Le Losc qualified for the European League
If he loses in Wolfsburg and Seville wins in Salzburg