Still decisive to allow Lille to hang on to Juventus (1-1) Tuesday November 5 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lucas Chevalier is dazzling in the Champions League to the point of seriously knocking on the door of the French team.
On the eve of his 23rd birthday, the Lille goalkeeper did everything to delay the Turin club's equalizer, notably making an exceptional save against Dusan Vlahovic. After a recovery in the area and with the Serbian striker's first intention, the northern goalkeeper flew perfectly to push back for a corner, with his left hand, a ball which was heading towards the top corner. “ In my personal progress, it's good to face this type of attacker and to make them doubt “, he soberly commented.
“A spotlight”
This action even surprised defender Bafodé Diakité, marking Vlahovic: “ I tell myself that he will perhaps control before continuing, so I stay behind (Vlahovic), but the fact that he resumes directly surprises me, and I see Lucas stop the shot, I don't know if I am sees, but I put both hands over my mouth because the stop is incredible. He has cat reflexes. » Two minutes earlier, Chevalier had been quick enough to come out, hands forward, into the feet of the same attacker.
If his team's second period was more sluggish and he finally had to lose in his duel with Vlahovic, scorer of a well-taken penalty (1-1, 60th), Chevalier also made a double save after a distant center then a recovery from the Frenchman Khéphren Thuram.
« When you know that you have a very high level goalkeeper who can either keep you in the match or allow you to keep a result, as was the case for example against Atlético (3-1 victory), it gives you gives a lot of strength, a lot of confidence », declared his coach Bruno Genesio, the day before the match. Lucas Chevalier had already been excellent during Lille's historic success against Real Madrid (1-0) on October 2, thanks to several decisive interventions at the end of the match.
READ ALSO. The owner of Losc opens the door to a sale of the Lille club and Jonathan David
« I'm doing my performances and I think that if we want to reach the French team, the best nation in the world, we have to play this kind of competition and perform well, he emphasizes. It puts a spotlight on me. »
Constantly progressing
Since his loan in Ligue 2 to Valenciennes (2021-2022), the native of Coquelles, near Calais, has continued to overcome the stages with almost no pitfalls. The following season, his adaptation to Ligue 1 was spectacular even if Paulo Fonseca, the Lille coach at the time, had started the championship with the Brazilian Léo Jardim, before installing him on the pitch from the seventh day from Marseille (September 10, 2022).
In just over two years, he has established himself as a reference in Ligue 1 and confirms himself on the biggest European stage by combining talent, charisma and self-confidence, qualities he gets from Mike Maignan, who he rubbed shoulders with Lille.
Lucas Chevalier could reunite with his former partner, goalkeeper of the Blues, on Thursday, the date on which Didier Deschamps will communicate the list of players who will face Israel then Italy in the Nations League.
READ ALSO. “He’s the boss”: Benjamin Pavard bides his time for his return to Blue
He could benefit from the downturn that Alphonse Areola, the third goalkeeper of the Blues, is currently going through, who missed his match with West Ham against Tottenham (4-1, October 19) and was not in the squad at the weekend last.
« I'm ready whatever happens, he says. It will be a source of pride if it happens, whether tomorrow or in six months. » After being an international U21 player, Lucas Chevalier has never seemed so close to joining the France team. That of the grown-ups, this time.
