It is not yet time for conclusions but we can, halfway through the LOSC European campaign, establish a first crossing point. After four out of eight matches in this new Champions League formula, the Mastiffs pocketed seven points : it's remarkable when we know that they started with a dry defeat in Lisbon (2-0) before this dizzying series of exploits against Real (1-0), on the pitch of Atlético (1- 3) and against Juventus Turin (1-1), Tuesday evening. “ This is a point that will matter enormously. », underlined Bruno Genesio after the meeting.
We're obviously not there yet, but it's clear that Lille is slowly but surely getting closer to qualifying, at least for the play-offs. Their schedule should even lighten up a little, with a trip to Bologna (November 27), almost already eliminated, and the reception of the Austrians from Sturm Graz (December 11), who no longer have anything to hope for. Not bad for a team whose forecasts gave it little chance of advancing (5% for the top 8, 20.8% for the 9-16 bracket and 41.2% for 17-24) and whose draw had been rated at 91.5% difficultyi.e. in the top five most difficult among the 36 qualified teams.
A new feat to go to eighth grade?
Twelve teams (from 25th to 36th place) will not survive the League phase of the Champions League. There are currently six of them who have still not recorded a single point and therefore find themselves practically without hope of advancing to the next round (Bratislava, Young Boys of Bern, Leipzig, Salzburg, etc.)
According to estimates made by Opta before the start of the competition, nine or even ten points would be needed to qualify for the play-offs. The Mastiffs would therefore only be one victory away from reaching this first milestone, which would give them two more matches, back and forth, to hope to reach the eighth.
To go directly to the eighths, precisely, the barrier was measured between 14 and 18 points. Sixteen points were enough in 98% of cases. Knowing that Liverpool is notably awaiting LOSC in January (the 21st at Anfield), before receiving the Dutch from Feyenoord Rotterdam (January 29), we will have to repeat a feat. But the Lille people are obviously no longer close to that.
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