Lille claimed the scalp of Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday as a Jonathan David penalty just before half-time gave the French club a famous 1-0 home win over the reigning European champions.
Canada striker David converted from the spot in first-half stoppage time, and Lille held on for the victory they deserved for an outstanding performance before a sell-out 50,000 crowd at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Lille were superb throughout but had to hang on at the finish as they recorded one of the finest European results in their history, bouncing back after a 2-0 loss to Sporting Lisbon in their opening game.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid, with Kylian Mbappé only appearing as a substitute on his return after a thigh injury, were well short of the form that brought them a 15th European Cup triumph last season. This defeat marks the end of their impressive 36-game unbeaten run stretching back to January.
The new 36-team Champions League format provides a margin for error, especially for the continent’s biggest clubs, as everyone now plays eight games instead of six. Real’s upcoming fixtures could prove challenging, with a repeat of last season’s final against Borussia Dortmund next, followed by matches against AC Milan and Liverpool.
