"For those who want to discover, Valencia, the hub of antitourism, is a haven and a predestined place. " By writing these words in his travel diary, in 1975, British theater critic Kenneth Tynan did not imagine the evolution that the city would have a few decades later. Today tourist center ran, Valencia has nothing of the hidden haven. And Lille, looking for a place far from their bases where they could meet, have paid the price of this reality, Tuesday, November 5. Reversed by the Valencians, having led more than forty minutes (4-1), teammates Mike Maignan bid farewell to the Champions League, after four games.
However, the Mastiff did not come as tourists on the Spanish coast. Present Monday afternoon in Valencia, the partners of the defender Jose Fonte have had little time to get lost in the streets of the old city. A way for Christophe Galtier to hold the bridle to his young thoroughbreds? Rather to protect them and "Privilege recovery".
But even before the beginning of the party erected in "The most important game of the season" by the two coaches, Lille lost one of its main actors. Victim of an accident Monday coming to training – an aquaplaning due to the rain – the French international Jonathan Ikoné was sidelined by his coach, "Not to take risks".
Risks, Lille have taken to avoid the road exit. Those who graze the zero this year far from their stadium started the game by reciting their scales. Redoubled passes, offsets found, aggressiveness: worn by a punchy Soumar in midfield, they prevented Valencia from deploying his game. And on a Spanish pass countered by Benjamin André, Victor Osimhen rushed between two defenders, opening the mark , the first goal outside the Nigerian striker in the Lille jersey (25e).
Yacizi misses the opportunity to make the brand worse
"Lille had a very impressive first period, imposing a steady pace and a well done pressing", greeted Albert Celades, the coach of Murcielago. For the men of Galtier could have doubled the bet, but lacked precision. And as the half-time approached, Valencia rebounded, shining the French goalkeeper Maignan.
Multiplying the assault and hogging the ball, the partners of the French Kondogbia forced Lille to back down. Ten minutes after the restart, after a new tightrope act, Osimhen played collective, and served Yusuf Yacizi ideally in front of the goal. Las, the Turkish international missed the opportunity to aggravate the brand. "You have to be decisive in both surfacesBenjamin André hammered after the match, and tonight, as in the first leg, we did not know how to do it. "
The Calvary of Lille was just beginning. By dint of pushing, in a stadium having found his voice, the Valencians have equalized, on a penalty from Parejo (1-1, 66e). Decided to win – a draw would not have settled the affairs of Lille – Galtier then opted for offensive changes. "And it became a nightmare," blows the French technician.
Tied until 81e minute, Lille collapsed, multiplying the defensive errors, and conceding three goals (Soumaoro, against his side, 82e, Kondogbia, 84e, and Torres, 90e). A very heavy addition to the game.
The danger of the young model
But in the game of the club "trainer of young talents to sell better", if some Lille have had to tap into the eye of the observers – starting with Boubakary Soumaré in the middle – it is Valencia who won in the end . And Ferran Torres, the local kid who entered the game, symbolically made the mark.
Christophe Galtier did not hide it: "Our limits are the experience. " The development model of very young players, worn by President Gerard Lopez, involves time. In the Champions League, time is running out.
Come " to learn "is risk to leave without further trial. "Zeki Celik, eighteen months ago, he played in Turkish League 2, recalled the French coach, defending his side, very in late Tuesday night. I have very good young players available, but in the Champions League, the slightest mistake is paid in goals. "
The Dogues will have two more games for "Gain experience" (a trip to Chelsea and the Ajax Amsterdam reception), before returning to Ligue 1 for good. A championship where they will have to solve another equation: how to cure their travel sickness? If they develop their game as they did during the first period in Mestalla, Lille could quickly stop being "The worst team in France outside".
Champions League: the Lyon revival against Benfica (3-1)
After his frustrating setback to go to Lisbon (2-1) – because of a goalkeeper Anthony Lopes' defeat – Lyon set things up by dominating Benfica (3-1) on Tuesday (November 5th). is back in the right path to qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Rudi Garcia's players quickly opened the scoring with young Danish defender Joachim Andersen (4e). After a superb work by Aouar, Memphis Depay (33e), already a double goalscorer in Ligue 1 this weekend, went on to add his fourth goal in four games of C1. Bertrand Traoré, much discussed, responded by scoring the third goal (89e).
"I'm happy with the result, because we had to recover the points lost in Benfica that we could eliminate by winning. The result of Leipzig against Zenit (win 2-0) can we open the doors of qualification on the next match ", congratulated Rudi Garcia, the Lyon coach. In terms of accounting, he can indeed rub his hands with seven units, his team is second in a group G affordable two lengths of Leipzig and distance especially three and four points Zenit St. Petersburg and Benfica.
When we know the recent situation of the club Rhone, between the dismissal of the former coach, Sylvinho, and the catastrophic month of September without victory, Garcia will not be accused of lack of ambition if his club finishes the pools with the second place .
