The two French representatives in C3, who parted in a 1-1 draw on Sunday in Ligue 1, are already back on the European scene.
Their successful introduction, the Lille Mastiffs do not have time to rest.
Falling into a tough group which also includes AC Milan, they must obtain a result against Celtic (18:55), direct competitor for qualification for the round of 16.
Even if they were swept away 3-1 by the Rossoneri in the opening, the Scots finished in first place in their group last year, losing only once, against Lazio Rome ... while Rennes, today in C1, had finished last in this group.
“Beating Celtic would be a great performance.
It's a great European club, "said Christophe Galtier, Lille coach, on the eve of the Europa League meeting between Losc and the Scottish team on Wednesday.
“We have to be in the game, put all the ingredients in it against a team like Celtic, which is used to playing matches with a lot of rhythm and intensity.
My players will have to not let go of 1 meter, not 1 centimeter, not 1 millimeter if we want to win, ”said the northern technician at a press conference.
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“They score a lot of goals, it's a team that is used to dominating matches.
They play the same way in the European Championship and in the European Cup, moving forward to try to gain control.
We will have to avoid suffering too much and leaving the ball too much to the opponent, ”Galtier warned.
The Lille coach, who described AC Milan as a “big favorite of the group”, left the starting lineup doubtful that he would align Thursday.
In Prague last week, he had made five changes and that had succeeded him with great success (4-1).
Did the draw (1-1) in Nice on Sunday in the league change the game?
"We want to catch up, to represent our club and French football well"
Patrick vieira
For the Aiglons of Nice, nothing is lost despite their memorable flight in Germany.
Patrick Vieira's men have inherited a group within their reach: they will compete for the second ticket for the 16th at Slavia Prague and the Israelis at Hapoël Beer Sheva, which they host in Nice on Thursday (9:00 p.m.).
Leverkusen's slap seems already forgotten since the Azureans reassured themselves in L1 against the former Lille leader on Sunday.
With more success, especially from Kephrem Thuram at the end of the match, they could even have won.
"A turning point, I don't know, but a very important match," sums up left side Hassane Kamara.
His coach, Patrick Vieira, for his part promises that "we want to catch up, to represent our club and French football well".
In Nice, the infirmary has almost emptied, and Patrick Vieira has the choice, even if he recognizes that all these re-entrants "are still a little behind on the physical level".
It's good to see us like that, ”said captain Dante on the club media after the game against the Mastiffs.
"It's a nice reaction, which will have to be kept to beat Beer-Sheva," launches the Brazilian.
The Hapoël Beer-Sheva, is an old European driver.
The club in the Croatia-style checkered jersey is playing its seventh campaign in a row, came out of the preliminary rounds four times and did not miss its entry into the group stage, beating Slavia Prague (3-1).
The winner of the Israel Cup and current seventh in his championship after three days is second in Group C behind Bayer.
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OGC Nice took water in Leverkusen
Among the posters of the evening, Naples already in a bad position moves to Real Sociedad (9:00 p.m.), current leader of Liga.
Reaction expected from the troops of Gennaro Gattuso, runner-up to AC Milan in the Italian Championship but beaten 1-0 at San Paolo by Alkmaar last week.
The Milanese leader of Serie A, in the Lille group, receives Sparta Prague in San Siro (18:55).
Tottenham and José Mourinho, after having crushed the Austrians from Linz (3-0) move to Antwerp (18:55) to keep the controls of their group.
Arsenal, in slow motion in the Premier League (two consecutive defeats), has the opportunity to reassure themselves by chaining a second European victory, after that at Rapid Vienna (2-1), against the Irish of Dundalk in London (9:00 p.m.).
AS Rome, after snatching a spectacular 3-3 draw at Milan on Monday, host CSKA Sofia (9:00 p.m.)
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Calendar and results Europa League
