For those who claim the French top-flight is a “farmer’s league” and that it is a mere formality for Paris Saint-Germain to retain it every year, Lille would like to have a quiet word.
Ligue 1 has often been criticised for its lack of competitiveness because PSG, backed by the riches of the Qatari royal family, have dominated for the best part of a decade.
As evidence, PSG finished the season 31 points clear of their closest challengers Lyon In the 2015-16 campaign. Despite this, the Parisians have been able to lure Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria with the guarantee of success and a a lucrative contract.
But finally, the gap appears to be closing as French football fans gear up for the most exciting season climax in years.
Lille, or LOSC as they are commonly known, are in pole position to clinch their first title since then 2010-11 season, when a 20-year-old Eden Hazard inspired them to domestic glory with 20 goals.
They are not the only ones in the hunt, however. Incredibly, PSG, Monaco and Lyon all stand a chance of being crowned champions with just two games to go.
This is the story of how Lille stunned their rivals to go within touching distance of the Ligue 1 title…
Experienced heads and 'Golden Boy'
The Lille academy has produced some of Europe’s finest talents over the years, including Hazard, Lucas Digne, Divock Origi and Benjamin Pavard, before selling them for large transfer fees.
Despite this, Lille have still been very shrewd in how they have used their funds, and their biggest acquisition remains the £23m paid to Genk to sign highly-coveted Canada international Jonathan David.
The 21-year-old, who was shortlisted for the 2020 Golden Boy award, had been linked with Liverpool, while Arsenal were also touted with a move, but the youngster claimed he wasn’t ready for the Premier League.
However, 12 goals in his debut campaign across the Channel may suggest otherwise. Playing alongside David up front is a striker 14 years his senior in Burak Yilmaz, who has exceed all expectations with 15 goals and five assists.
They have also helped revive the career of Renato Sanches after disastrous spells with Bayern Munich and Swansea, while former Southampton defender Jose Fonte is in the form of his life at the age of 37. The Portuguese has played in all but one of their league matches as a part of their watertight defence, conceding only 22 goals in 36 games.
Dumped by their former clubs and towards the end of their careers, these misfits and veterans have united to fight for silverware against all odds.
Shrewd transfer market operators
After agreeing to sell Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal for £72m in 2019, the Ligue 1 outfit sold their share in the deal to an investment firm as the Gunners would have been paying in instalments.
It would be no surprise to see the squad stripped of its parts again if they clinch the title and one player who looks certain to seal a move is Boubakary Soumare.
The 22-year-old had been heavily linked with Manchester United last summer but according to reports, the highly-rated midfielder is poised to sign for Leicester City after the clubs agreed a £26m fee.
Sven Botman, a Dutch centre-back plucked from the famous Ajax academy, will no doubt appear on the radar of top European clubs after a standout debut season in France.
Even if they lose their prized assets, the club back their sporting director Luis Campos to find cheap but adequate replacements. The Portuguese is recognised as one of the best in the business and his close ties with renowned agent Jorge Mendes give him the edge in finding value in the transfer market.
The guile of Galtier
The man behind Lille’s title charge is Christophe Galtier, who has been at the helm since July 2017.
He spent the majority of his career playing in France and when he retired, he joined Alan Perrin’s coaching staff as an assistant — Portsmouth fans may remember him from a six-month spell at Fratton Park in 2005.
It's fair to assume Galtier doesn’t believe in short-term stints. The 54-year-old remains the longest-serving coach in Ligue 1 after his eight-year spell with Saint-Etienne and another four with Lille.
Under his tenure, LOSC have progressed little by little. In his first season, Lille survived relegation by a point and finished 17th. But after clearing out the dead wood, the club finished second in 2018/19 and fourth in the coronavirus -affected campaign last year.
Aside from winning the Coupe de la Ligue in 2013, Galtier has rarely had such an opportunity to win trophies. After guiding his team on a run of five wins in their last six games, it’s now in their hands.
Can they win the title?
Few could argue they don’t deserve it. They have beaten PSG and Lyon in their own backyard and lost just three games all season. Lille’s budget is considerably lower than their three title rivals and Galtier has worked miracles with the squad at his disposal.
The task is straightforward for Lille: if they win their last two matches against Saint-Etienne (h) and Angers (a), they will be champions. The French coach will be hoping his former team do him a massive favour as the two teams go head-to-head at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Saturday night.
Reigning champions PSG are three points adrift but boast a superior goal difference to Lille, Lyon and Monaco. One slip up from the leaders and Mauricio Pochettino’s side will be in hot pursuit, as they face Brest (h) and Reims (a).
Monaco know it’s out of their hands and must beat Rennes, while Lyon’s hopes are slim at best — they are six points behind and have to beat Nimes and Nice just to be in the conversation.
Still, stranger things have happened and in a four-way title fight, nothing can be discounted.
