Last weekend's 1-0 win at Paris Saint-Germain left Galtier's men clear of the reigning champions — currently in second place — in the French top flight with just seven matches remaining in the 2020/21 season.

Galtier led the team to a runners-up finish in his first full season in charge at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in 2018/19, but acknowledged that extra step up the table is a huge one.

"It's my biggest challenge. It doesn't come around often in a career. Thirty-one games into the season, we're first with a three, four and five-point lead over the other three teams. It's not a lot, because there are seven games left and 21 points to pick up, but it's there," said Galtier, whose men can also see third-placed Monaco and fourth-placed Lyon in their rear-view mirror.

"If we're where we are, it's that we have a certain strength, a certain quality. We mustn't give up. We must give ourselves every chance. The main thing is to have no regrets."

WATCH: Jonathan David gives Lille three points at PSG

Jonathan David netted the only goal of the game at the Parc des Princes last Saturday as Lille stole a march on PSG.

"Paris have the best squad, but they've lost eight games. That's a lot, and gives hope to all the teams that play them, not just their direct rivals," he said, playing down his role in the success.

"It would be too pretentious to think that the performance was linked to my team talk or what I did. It's above all due to what the players put into the match. The coach prepares them. You have to give the players the keys to go into the game in the best possible condition. But the performance belongs to the players. And even if it's often put on the coach, I also try to make the players understand that a bad performance is also on them too."

Galtier takes his side to Metz on Friday knowing victory will secure top spot for another week and inch Lille closer to a first title since the double-winning season of 2010/11.

The 54-year-old is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, but is in no hurry to discuss his situation with French football's biggest prize within touching distance.

"No, not at all," he replied when asked whether the season's outcome will decide his future. "But it won't necessarily be decided before the end of the season because I have to stay focussed on the objective.

"Of course, I know qualifying for the Champions League is important for the club, but I'm not thinking about the squad that would be available to me next season. I'm not one of those coaches who demands guarantees.

"It's necessary that the aims are in line with the means. We'll sit down, president Olivier Létang and I, and we'll see where we're at, but there's no rush. I don't feel any weariness. I feel really good here, though I don't think I'll do seven or eight years as I did at Saint-Etienne." 

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