‘We want to be party poopers’

Updated On: 22 February, 2022 07:40 AM IST | Lille (France) | AFP

Lille boss Jocelyn Gourvennec insists French side will upset mighty Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tonight

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Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech (right) celebrates with Christian Pulisic after scoring against Crystal Palace in an EPL tie on Saturday. Pic/AFP

A Lille side sitting in mid-table in Ligue 1 head to London to face Chelsea this week hoping to play the role of “party poopers” against the reigning European champions, their coach Jocelyn Gourvennec said.

Blues favourites

Recent Club World Cup winners Chelsea are heavy favourites to beat Lille in their Champions League last-16 tie as Thomas Tuchel’s side look to retain the title they won by beating Manchester City in last season’s final. But Lille, who exceeded expectations by reaching this stage for the first time since 2006-07 and make the short trip across the English Channel for the first leg, aim to keep the tie alive for the return. “We are competitors so we will not be going there just to be Chelsea’s sparring partners. They are a great team, but there are always surprises in cup matches and we want to be the party poopers, as we have been since the beginning of this Champions League campaign,” Gourvennec said. The side from France’s far north caused a major upset by winning the French title last season ahead of star-studded Paris Saint-Germain.

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