Champions League: mission impossible for Lille?
Before facing Arsenal this Tuesday in the Champions League, Lille has a negative record against English clubs. After a bitter defeat against Bétis (2-3), Lille continues its adventure in the Champions League this Tuesday.
But facing them stand Arsenal, reigning English champion and European vice-champion. A match in which an exploit would be welcome in order to avoid counting zero points after two days.
A negative result against the English But the task will not be easy for Davide Ancelotti's men, the Gunners having lost only one match this season. And in its history, LOSC has not often managed to win against English clubs.
Out of 21 matches, the Northerners have only won three, drawn five and lost 13 times. In six confrontations against Manchester United in the 2000s, Lille was defeated three times but achieved the feat of beating Cristiano Ronaldo's Red Devils in November 2005 (1-0) thanks to a goal from Milenko Acimovic.
The French club has exactly the same record against Aston Villa, with two recent eliminations in the 2024 Conference League and the 2026 Europa League. Lille's third and last victory against a club was against Liverpool (1-0) in the round of 16 first leg of the 2010 Europa League.
The rest of the results are rather negative, including four defeats in as many matches against Chelsea. It now remains to reverse this trend by obtaining a result against Arsenal for the very first confrontation between the two teams.
Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team. As an author for the website, his expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team.
His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers. When he's not crafting engaging articles for French Football Weekly, Manu enjoys attending live matches whenever he can, exploring football culture in various French cities, and engaging in spirited debates with fellow fans.