still held in check, Lille remains in the race for the round of 16

It has unfortunately become an Arlesian to see Lille underperform in the Champions League. After an inaugural draw full of hope at home against Wolfsburg (0-0), the Lille have put it back with a new draw on their lawn, on the same score. As in Salzburg (2-1) on October 29, Jocelyn Gourvennec’s players suffered for most of the match, even if Sevilla FC did not show their best face on Pierre-Mauroy’s grass.

The figures speak for themselves: the Mastiffs had only one real chance, at the 27e minute, with Renato Sanches who took advantage of a bad pass back from Acuna to afford a lost duel against Bono, who closed the angle well to make a bulwark with his body. The second and last Lille shot on target of the meeting. Once again, the feeling of helplessness was felt, as if the Champions League symbolized the glass ceiling of a champion of France 2021 still so laborious when it comes to putting the intensity required to pack a European evening.

A festival of technical inaccuracies

The Northerners will be able to capitalize for the future on a foolproof tactical discipline with a very compact 4-4-2 which contained the Sevillian attacks. “We were solid defensively but it lacked a little technical accuracy in the last pass to create chances”, Lille defender José Fonte conceded at the end of the meeting. There were some hot situations in the second half, as with Burak Yilmaz in an ideal position but who lost his support when arming in the box (42e), or the counter-attack badly exploited by Bamba, who missed his deep pass on Yilmaz (63e).

Missed crosses, passes too deep or even lack of initiatives: the meeting was marked with the seal of technical waste, as evidenced by the scenario of a game which led to a clear opportunity on each side, always following an error technical. The one from Sevilla was offered by the goalkeeper Grbic, who had a total hole in his recovery in the foot, returning the ball to Rafa Mir, who saw his shot from the right saved by the foot of Djalo, who anticipated by placing himself on his line (20e).

Salzburg, the big winner of the evening

If Ocampos attempted to wake up the game several times, on a vicious coiled shot deflected from the glove by Grbic (29e) and a failed return attempt with a crampon end (48e), the poster turned soporific. “We play at home and when you play at home you have to take your chance, push harder and really want to score and win the game. But unfortunately today was not our game. It’s frustrating “, replied José Fonte. The Lille captain believed for a moment in the hold-up when Delaney deflected a shot from Ikoné with his hand (85e), but Michael Oliver waved his arm that there would be no penalty.

The tactical battle prevailed over the technical quality between Lille of Amadou Onana (on the ground) and Sevilla of Lucas Ocampos.

The only lightening in the grayness of Lille: a qualification for the knockout stages remains possible. LOSC points to 3e Group G place with 2 points, only one unit from second place, occupied by his evening opponent. The big winner of the evening is RB Salzburg, winner of Wolfsburg (3-1). The Austrians have 7 points and have one foot in the round of 16. José Fonte is categorical: “We have to work to find our strength and momentum that we had last year. We did not score but we will continue to fight to qualify. There are three games left. “ After the defeat in Salzburg on October 29 (2-1), midfielder Benjamin André said that “The LOSC was going to qualify”. Beginning of response on November 2 in Seville, for the first of the return matches.


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