Lille (AFP)

A year and a half after two one-sided confrontations in the Champions League, Lille, leader of L1, finds Ajax Amsterdam in the round of 16 first leg of the Europa League on Thursday (9 p.m.) with a great opportunity: to show that he can now compete with a large European.

In the fall of 2019, Losc had paid dearly to learn by being swept 3-0 in the Netherlands before also giving in at home (2-0).

However, Lille had achieved two good performances but had lacked efficiency in both surfaces.

With only 1 point gleaned in six C1 matches, their balance sheet was bad, far from the level displayed on the lawn.

This season, the Mastiffs have matured and learned from their last frustrating European experience.

Second in their Europa League group behind AC Milan, whom they slapped 3-0 at San Siro, they seem more experienced and better equipped to appear well on the continental scene, while achieving a superb course in the league.

First in L1 before Paris SG, the Northerners have managed the sequence of matches rather well and believe they can play on all fronts, they who are also still in the race in the Coupe de France.

- "Lots of ambitions" -

"We have to play everything, there is no choice. I assume that victories lead to victories and that, when we are on a dynamic like ours, there must not be a match that come and stop it, ”coach Christophe Galtier analyzed last week.

A speech echoed by the players.

"We want to win cups and championships. Everybody's got it, we're young and we want to win," forward Timothy Weah confirmed.

Braked by Brest in the league on Sunday (0-0), Lille had however won its seven previous matches, including 6 in L1, and tackles this confrontation with Ajax with confidence, which should allow its progress to be measured.

The Batavians, too, are having a good time as they remain on a series of eight consecutive victories during which they have been both prolific with 17 goals scored and solid with only 4 conceded.

Qualified for the semi-finals of the Dutch Cup, the Dutch lead their championship with 6 points ahead of PSV Eindhoven (and one game overdue) and seem on the way to a 35th national coronation.

- Without Haller and Onana -

However, all is not rosy at Ajax: the club will be deprived of two major players for this duel.

Cameroonian goalkeeper André Onana, who claims to have mistakenly taken a drug (a diuretic) prescribed to his wife, was in fact suspended for one year for doping by the disciplinary bodies of UEFA after a positive test last October.

It is therefore the veteran Maarten Stekelenburg (38) who will keep the cages.

Even more annoying, the Dutch will have to do without Ivorian international striker Sébastien Haller, recently recruited for the record sum of 26 million euros from West Ham, after a huge quack.

The club has indeed forgotten to include the native of Ris-Orangis (Essonne) in its list of players qualified for the Europa League!

With 5 goals and 5 assists in nine matches since his arrival in early January, the 26-year-old center-forward, trained in Auxerre, has successfully adapted his adaptation and will be missed by his team.

The style opposition looks promising between a formation of Ajax which takes a lot of risks offensively, but offers a lot of space to its opponents, and Strong Mastiffs behind and very dangerous on the fast transitions.

© 2021 AFP