Off the back of consecutive home wins over European rivals, Lille continue to impress at home -- is it enough to reach the top four come the season's end?
Off the back of a pair of massive home wins for LOSC Lille following the international break, over derby rivals RC Lens and Olympique de Marseille, Les Dogues now look well-positioned to reach the Champions League next season. Indeed, with the fourth spot now having become a Champions League place following the expansion of the tournament, Lille look ready to return to a competition in which they impressed mightily by reaching the Round of 16 two years ago. Now five points and goal difference ahead of Nice in fifth, Paulo Fonseca's side look the runaway favorites to come fourth, and much of this is down to their impressive home form under the Portuguese manager. Simply put, no club in the league have done better since his arrival:
This season, that includes a record of 33 points from 14 matches, with ten wins, three draws and just one loss. Les Dogues also have the best defence (just eight goals conceded), second-best attack (28 goals, behind only PSG's 34) and goal difference (+20). This combination of attack and defence also comes as the team are on a run of 22 straight matches scoring at home, their best since a 24-match run that included the team's historic double in 2011.
As to Fonseca, he, too is making history among his peers who have taken a place on the bench at Lille:
Using a more solid, but still possession-based approach tactically has made all the difference this season, with the team scarcely missing a beat despite a lengthy injury absence and then departure on the part of Tiago Djalo and Jose Fonte also moving on. A new, younger partnership of Leny Yoro and Alexsandro has impressed, the two showing the ability of Lille's academy and scouting respectively, and the arrival of Nabil Bentaleb to shore up midfield has also made a difference.
Like his predecessors, he has also enjoyed the talents of Jonathan David, who has scored eleven goals since the turn of the year, best in Europe's top five leagues. Since David's arrival in. 2020, only Kylian Mbappé and Wissam Ben Yedder have found the net more often, underscoring the importance of the talismanic Canadian. A challenging tie looms in Europe, as does a tricky trip to AS Monaco in a fortnight's time, but on the evidence of the season to date, a bit of "home cooking" is likely to be served at the Champions League table.
