Welcome to Sportstar's highlights of the UEFA Champions League 2021-22 clash between Lille vs Chelsea being played at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille, France.
Aggregate Score [Lille 1-4 Chelsea]
12:40 am- Starting lineups are out!
LOSC XI: Jardim(GK), Celik, Djalo, Botman, Gudmundsson, Fonte, Bamba, Xeka, David, Yilmaz, Andre
Coach: Jocelyn Gourvennec
Chelsea: Mendy(GK); Silva, Christensen, Rudiger, Azpilicueta; Kovacic, Kante, Jorginho; Alonso, Havertz, Pulisic.
Coach: Thomas Tuchel.
MATCH PREVIEW
The restrictions on Chelsea and sanctions on its owner do not seem to be affecting the club's performances on the pitch as it is regularly winning games, Lille coach Jocelyn Gourvennec said on Tuesday ahead of its Champions League tie.
Chelsea is operating on a special licence from the British government that has limited its spending and impacted its operations after sanctions were imposed on its Russian owner Roman Abramovich.
Lille hosts Chelsea in its Champions League last-16 second leg on Wednesday with the French club looking to overcome a 2-0 deficit after the first leg at Stamford Bridge last month.
"Since there are these problems, for a bit more than three weeks, they continue to win their games," Gourvennec told a news conference.
"In England, they are staying strong. Even on Sunday against Newcastle (United), they scored in the 90th or 91st minute (to win the game). So it doesn't feel like they are impacted by that."
Lille, however, will be without Renato Sanches after the 24-year-old Portuguese midfielder picked up a muscle injury that will keep him sidelined for three weeks.
"Renato is an exceptional player who can do everything and play everywhere. We will organise ourselves without him, we have different possible options," Gourvennec said.
"The most important thing is that the players who start are pumped up to 300%. There can be no second thoughts. We will have to play with a lot of courage and heart and we are not lacking in it, it will take emotional control."
Lille was last season's Ligue 1 champion but finds themselves in sixth place this season, with Gourvennec saying his team was given only a "10% chance of qualifying" for the next round.
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"The Champions League is an exceptional competition. Totally unpredictable things have happened in its history," he added.
"It's a competition made of legends, emotions and tragedy in which unexpected comebacks take place. This must give us strength."
Fellow Ligue 1 club Paris St Germain was leading Real Madrid 2-0 on aggregate before the Spanish side scored three times in the second half of the second leg to eliminate the French league leaders last week.
( Via Reuters)
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