London (AFP)

"Playing C1 every year, I think it's possible": despite its early elimination from the Champions League, Lille has the ambition to "go back" next season, told AFP its President Gerard Lopez, judging "possible" to achieve this "every year".

Participating in the lucrative European competition, "it is not vital, but it is a big plus" for the finances of Lille, explained in an interview the leader, who announces want to keep next summer its top scorer Victor Osimhen, already very coveted.

Q: What is your assessment of this first participation in the Champions League under your mandate?

A: "In terms of results, we can not be satisfied, we could and should have done better, the frustration comes from the fact that for five matches we were able to dominate our opponents at times and we were not But we paid a high price for our failure to score in our strongest moments and to bow down without taking a goal when we were dominated. "

Q: Is this elimination a stop?

A: "It's unfortunate to say that, but no, on the contrary, I had the ambition to give a good image through the game We did it, we had the respect of our opponents, but we did not did not manage to scare them, it makes us want to go back to do better, we want to capitalize on what we have just learned, it has made us gain experience, the club has grown. "

Q: What are the goals this season?

A: "If we assume that PSG remains untouchable, it's the top 2 or top 3 that we have to aim for, I believe in this group, in the quality of our players. best team at home but one of the worst outside, this kind of schizophrenia penalizes us.But there, we get stronger.The club must be European, given our budget, our infrastructure and the quality of our players. It has to become normal to be European, to be part of the genetics of the club. "

Q: What is missing at Losc to compete with PSG and play the C1 every year?

A: "To compete with PSG, it is a question of money, but not that.I must make a season almost perfect and they are a little less good.In contrast to play the C1 every year, I think It's possible, we're having a bad season outside and we're still third, so we'll always have the ambition to finish on the podium and I think it's possible to do it on a regular basis. "

Q: Is your model viable without selling your two or three best players each summer?

A: "The model of the club is known, there will be sales and investment next summer, like this year, but there will always be a hard core, the goal would be to keep Victor Osimhen We can not say that the Losc is a club that has no ambitions and just trades.We refused many important offers because we have important sporting ambitions, but people do not see that departures."

Q Is participation in the C1 crucial to the club's finances?

A: "No, it's not crucial because our business plan is not based on that, but it allows us to keep one or two key players because it has earned 40 million euros this season." would like to keep Osimhen two years ago, it would have been impossible, it's not vital, but it's a big plus, and taking part in the C1 a lot helps solidify the club's foundations. "

Q: What are the economic development axes of the club?

A: "There are reflections, we are working a lot on sponsorship, opening up abroad, we have made progress, but these things are taking time." The question of the stadium is a great tool but it is extremely expensive, we have a real strategic reflection on the stadium but that does not necessarily by its acquisition.There are other axes like our academies in China.But it remains a football club, it is not a supermarket where we add new product lines every month, hence the importance of playing the European Cup every year to continue the positive economic development of the club. "

Interview by Nicolas BLASQUEZ

© 2019 AFP