Lille will face Real Madrid in the upcoming 2nd round match of the Champions League stage on October 3, Beijing time. Before the match, Lille president Olivier Letang attended the conference and talked about the expectation of the match, the team's preparation and the players' status.
On the upcoming match against Real Madrid, Le Tang said, "It's a real event. Real Madrid is one of the greatest clubs in the world and they have won the Champions League 15 times. We will welcome this great team tomorrow and it will be a special game for sure. We feel a sense of excitement and great pride in the culture of our soccer community."
Talking about the organizational differences, Le Tang revealed, "We have received a huge demand for tickets and everyone wants to come and watch the game. It's not just a soccer match, it's an event. We need to prepare for this event and at the same time we have to put up a performance on the field to match it."
Regarding the presence of celebrities at the game, Le Don said, "We do get a lot of requests, but I will prioritize those who support us all year round. Because this game is also a joint effort between the whole club and all the people who have been with us all year round."
Commenting on the state of the team, Le Tant said, "We are not worried about getting outplayed, the biggest risk is not going to the game. We want to see a strong team with character and commitment, in line with our values. It's going to be tough against Real Madrid, but we have to believe in ourselves and be ready for that challenge."
Letang also spoke about the relationship with the Mbappe family and the return of Kylian Mbappe: "I've known Kylian for 10 years now, and of course we're delighted to have him back in France, even though he's representing Real Madrid. I sincerely wish him all the best at Real Madrid, except of course for tomorrow night (laughs)."
Speaking about the team's athletic goals, Letang said, "Playing against great clubs is a great experience. We have to match these tournaments and show that we are a team and not just a collection of individuals. I want to see a team with values, character, fighting spirit, commitment, unity and resilience."
Finally, Letang also addressed the Jonathan David transfer rumors, "We have a deep relationship with Jonathan and we have been talking about finding a positive solution. We're happy to have him with us and if he can help us achieve great things, we'll be happy to have him again."
