Chelsea hope to take the next step towards the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw concluded today and holders Chelsea have been drawn against current Ligue 1 champions, LOSC Lille.
The Blues won the competition for the 2nd time in their history last season as Thomas Tuchel changed our fortunes after the departure of Frank Lampard. We had a rather comfortable group stage draw this season, after being drawn against Zenit, Juventus and Malmo.
The Italians were tricky opponents, but the Swedish opposition and the Russian champions struggled to cope with our quality, although the latter fought back to seal a 3-3 draw on Matchday 6. Chelsea finished 2nd in the group, courtesy of which we were going to face the winners of another group.
Fortunately, the London club drew LOSC Lille. However, a re-draw had to be held after the original draw was declared null and void due to a technical error by UEFA. Regardless, the Blues drew against Lille again. While they are relatively easier opponents as compared to some of the other group winners like Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Ajax, the French club should not be taken lightly.
They topped a group containing RB Salzburg, Wolfsburg, and Sevilla. All three teams are hard nuts to crack, and the Ligue 1 side came out with flying colours, taking 11 points out of a possible 18.
Moreover, they are reigning champions of the French top flight and possess a number of stars in their arsenal. Renato Sanches, Burak Yilmaz, Jonathan David, Sven Botman, and Jose Fonte are just a couple of examples.
We have struggled against top opposition this season, as we have not picked up a victory against Liverpool, Man City, West Ham, or Man United. The Blues also slumped to a defeat to Juventus at the Allianz Stadium. Thus, Lille are not to be taken lightly, and it is bound to be a thrilling encounter.
Chelsea did defeat the French side twice in the group stage of the 2019/20 season, but they are a whole different animal now. Let us see how some of our fans reacted on Twitter to drawing the reigning Ligue 1 champions.
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