26/27 Preview #4: Lille OSC
After returning to the Ligue 1 McDonald's podium last season, Lille OSC begin a new era under Davide Ancelotti with Champions League football back on the agenda at the Decathlon Arena.
Last season
Lille took another step forward during Bruno Génésio's second season in charge, finishing third in Ligue 1 McDonald's with 61 points to secure direct qualification for the UEFA Champions League. It was Les Dogues' first podium finish since winning the title in 2020/21, edging Lyon by a single point after a tense final few weeks of the campaign.
Their European campaign also provided several memorable moments. Lille defeated Roma away during the league phase of the UEFA Europa League before overcoming Crvena Zvezda in extra time in the knockout play-offs. Their run eventually came to an end against Aston Villa in the round of 16, with the eventual competition winners prevailing 3-0 on aggregate.
A 1-0 victory away to Monaco on the penultimate weekend proved decisive in the race for third place. Despite losing 2-0 at home to Auxerre on the final day, Lille held onto their position and booked their return to the Champions League. Génésio subsequently departed at the end of his contract after two seasons in charge.
The coach: Davide Ancelotti
Davide Ancelotti is one of the most intriguing new faces on a Ligue 1 McDonald's touchline this season. The 36-year-old Italian has signed a two-year contract with Lille after spending much of his coaching career working alongside his father Carlo at Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, Real Madrid and, most recently, with the Brazil national team.
This is not his first job as a head coach, having spent five months in charge of Botafogo, but Lille represents the biggest opportunity yet for Ancelotti to establish his own identity. He inherits a club with a well-established structure and a squad accustomed to competing for European places, and has suggested evolution rather than revolution will be his approach.
"My ambition is to take the team to the next level by playing organized, attacking football," said Ancelotti, who has also highlighted energy, technical quality in midfield and tactical adaptability as central to the football he wants his side to play.
Key arrivals
Başar Önal is Lille's biggest investment of the summer so far. The 22-year-old Turkish youth international has arrived from NEC Nijmegen for €12.5 million after establishing himself in the Eredivisie. Usually deployed on the left of the attack, Önal brings pace and direct running to an already youthful Lille forward line and opened his account during the 6-3 pre-season victory over OH Leuven.
There is more experience in the arrival of Tanguy Nianzou from Sevilla. Still only 24, the centre-back has already represented Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Sevilla, winning domestic honours in France and Germany as well as the UEFA Europa League in Spain. He has signed for two seasons, with the option of another year, as Lille look to rebuild a defence that has lost several experienced players.
Loun Srdanovic represents a more typically Lille investment for the future. The 19-year-old Switzerland youth international has joined from Servette on a four-year deal after emerging as one of his country's promising young right-backs. Continuity has also been important, with Olivier Giroud extending his stay for another season and Nabil Bentaleb signing a new deal until 2028.
Key departures
Lille have lost considerable experience from their defensive ranks. Thomas Meunier has joined Sunderland following the end of his contract, while Aïssa Mandi has moved to Levante and Chancel Mbemba has left for Saudi Arabian side Al-Diraiyah. Their departures explain the decision to add both Nianzou and Srdanovic during the summer.
There has also been movement among some of the club's younger players. Ugo Raghouber joined Burnley for €5 million after spending part of last season on loan at Levante, while Ichem Ferrah has moved to Pisa. Vincent Burlet has been sold to Cracovia and Rafael Fernandes has joined Marítimo on loan. Ayoub Bouaddi looks set to join Premier League side Manchester City.
Much of Lille's attacking core nevertheless remains intact. Hákon Haraldsson and Matias Fernandez-Pardo are among the young talents at Ancelotti's disposal, while Giroud provides a very different kind of experience at the other end of his career. Fernandez-Pardo has attracted interest from Atlético Madrid, who submitted an offer worth €35 million including bonuses, but Lille had not accepted that proposal at the time of writing.
Remember when...
The 2010/11 campaign remains one of the greatest in Lille's history. Under Rudi Garcia, Les Dogues ended a 57-year wait to become champions of France and coupled the league title with the Coupe de France to complete a famous domestic double.
It was a team packed with talent. Eden Hazard and Gervinho supplied the invention, Yohan Cabaye controlled the midfield and Moussa Sow provided the goals, finishing the Ligue 1 season as the division's leading scorer with 25. Lille ended the campaign with 76 points, celebrating the title in front of their supporters after a 3-2 victory over Rennes on the final day.
That side helped establish the modern LOSC as a regular presence towards the top of French football, a status the club have largely maintained ever since.
Cult hero: Jean Baratte
Long before Hazard, Cabaye or even the great Lille sides of the 1950s, there was Jean Baratte. Born in nearby Lambersart, the striker became the first great popular hero of LOSC after the club's formation in 1944 and remains their all-time leading goalscorer with 224 goals in all competitions.
Baratte was twice the leading scorer in the French championship, hitting 31 goals in 1947/48 and another 26 the following season. He won the league with Lille in 1946 and lifted the Coupe de France four times, while also scoring 19 goals in 32 appearances for France.
Known as "Capitaine courageux" for his relentless style and leadership, Baratte eventually returned to help Lille win promotion back to the top flight towards the end of his playing career. Almost seven decades after his final appearance, he remains one of the defining figures in the club's history.
