“You are going to write history! “ The only advantage of matches played behind closed doors – or at a reduced level – from the stands, the players can be heard screaming. Proclaimed by veteran Benjamin André to his partners at the kickoff of the last match of the Champions League group stage, Wednesday, December 8, the expression hit the mark. Winners full of control on the lawn of VFB Wolfsburg (3-1), the players of the Lille Olympic sporting club (LOSC) have climbed for the second time in the short European history of the northern club in the round of 16 of the competition.
Sacred champions of France last spring, the teammates of an elusive Jonathan Ikoné – two assists – ended their fall campaign in first place in Group G, a first in seven appearances. And it almost looked like a formality, in the icy coldness of Lower Saxony, so much the Lille have simplified the task. “Our goal was to win here, we built this match to win, we didn’t want to be in the calculation”, breathes Benjamin André. Opposed to an opponent summoned to win in order to hope to qualify – where a draw was enough for the LOSC – his partners maneuvered perfectly, rushing into the spaces opened by the Germans.
Victim of a burglary at the beginning of the week at his home, Jonathan Ikoné seems determined to pass his frustration on the teammates of French Josuha Guilavogui. After ten minutes of observation, the international winger plays the airlift with the German defense. Well launched by Zeki Celik, his acceleration unsettles Wolfsburg. At the entrance to the penalty area, he ideally serves Burak Yilmaz, who takes advantage of the offering, and materializes the Lille heist (1-0, 11e). In this duel of packs, the Mastiffs were the first to bite; and quickly the Wolves found themselves at bay. “We knew that by quickly opening the brand, we would put them in difficulty”, relishes coach Jocelyn Gourvennec, satisfied to have seen his team “Solid, clinical even”.
“We regained our efficiency and we found each other again”
If green waves break on the Lille cages, Florian Kohfeldt’s players get only few opportunities. Serene, the Northerners have returned to their defensive solidity, trademark of last year, and are projecting against. After Yilmaz, Jonathan David is illustrated in his turn. Twenty minutes from the end, the Canadian striker inherits a millimeter pass in the area, and takes back – with the help of the post – Koen Casteels, the goalkeeper of Wolfsburg (2-0, 72e). His third goal in the last three Champions League games.
After the first three meetings, and two points obtained – against Wolfsburg and Sevilla – one would have thought the Lille embarked on a disappointing Champions League campaign. The club has taken the annoying habit, struggling to materialize for ten years its good seasons in the league the following year. Few were those who believed in the chances of the Mastiffs before their trip to Seville; but they never doubted. “Whatever the criticisms, we never left our project, we persisted in what we knew how to do well”, insists Jocelyn Gourvennec. Successor of Christophe Galtier, he himself had to face a hostile environment on his arrival.
Carried by an unsinkable self-confidence – that which allowed them, last year, to dislodge Paris-Saint-Germain from “his” seat of national champion -, the experience gained from a third continental campaign in a row and unfailing determination, José Fonte’s teammates raised their heads. “The trigger is in Seville. We win there, where it’s very difficult to get a result, observes Gouvennec. From there, we said to ourselves that we could go to the end. “ And after waiting nine years for a victory in the queen competition in Europe, his Mastiffs have chained three, “With a lot of composure and maturity. “” We regained our efficiency, our game, and we found each other again “, summarizes Benjamin André.
Lille dreams of European spring
A third goal, scored by the incoming Angel Gomes (3-0, 78e) cools down for good the 6,544 German fans allowed to go to the Volkswagen arena – reinforced Covid-19 protocol obliges. And it is not the reduction of the gap by Renato Steffen at the very end of the match, after another Renato, Sanches, was greedy in his penalty area (3-1, 89e) which will warm them up. In this four-man duel that concluded Group G of the Champions League – all of whom can still claim to qualify on Wednesday morning – the sheriff is from Lille. He makes sure in passing, qualification and first place in the group oblige, a significant jackpot – more than ten million euros.
Among the European gratin – the sixteen best teams at least – for the second time in its history (after the 2006-2007 season, Lille assumed its ambitions. And put back the bitter memories of the last three interrupted campaigns (only one point gleaned) two years ago). “We have done credit to Ligue 1, to our title of champion, and to this great competition that is the Champions League”, underlines Jocelyn Gourvennec. Monday, his Mastiffs will know their next opponent, in the round of 16. “Everyone will prefer to play Lille rather than Bayern Munich or Juventus Turin, smiles the Breton technician. But regardless, no one saw us qualify. “
Having found their bite, they are not satisfied. “Going to eighth is great, but we start to dream. We are capable of doing something great ”, concludes Benjamin André. Guaranteed to spend the European winter warm, the people of Lille are already dreaming of spring.