“We closed the heart of the game” – Genesio on how Lille beat Real Madrid

Lille manager Bruno Genesio has revealed the tactical approach that guided his team to a historic 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, Soccernet.football reports.

The French side stunned the reigning European champions, ending Real Madrid’s 14-game unbeaten streak in the competition and their 36-match undefeated run in all competitions.

A penalty from Jonathan David just before halftime secured the victory in front of a sell-out crowd of 50,000 at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Lille’s relentless pressing and disciplined defending kept Real Madrid at bay, and Genesio’s clever game plan proved decisive. After the match, the Lille boss praised his team for their resilience and execution of the strategy.

“We prepared well for the match and the players responded perfectly to what we expected of them with a very good first half and a second with a lot of solidarity and talent in goal which allowed us to keep our goal clean sheet,” Genesio said.

“It’s a big, big, big performance for everyone and a great reward for the club and our supporters. We are proud.

“We chose to play with 4 at the back and to double the left wing with two players who were a little more defensive. We also wanted to keep Tiago and Edon who can blow up a lot of defenses.

“The idea was also to close the heart of the game to them and to play our chances boldly, to push them back and put them in danger.”

Lille’s defensive solidity was key, particularly in the second half as Real Madrid ramped up their pressure.

Despite the threat posed by Madrid’s attack, Lille held firm, recording one of the greatest results in their European history.

Genesio explained how his tactical adjustments, including doubling up on the left wing and maintaining a solid four-man defense, frustrated Real Madrid’s creative play.

“We told the players very early on that tonight, we had everything to gain, which is very rare,” the veteran gaffer added.

“So we had to approach this match with a lot of serenity, calm, without pressure. To play it to the fullest, not to be a spectator. My players approached it in this way, with a lot of relaxation. And since we had a very good start to the match, it gave us confidence. And then we scored just before half-time and resisted well during the last 25 minutes which were very difficult. We knew how to resist, hats off to my players.”

Real Madrid’s next few Champions League games are crucial, with tough fixtures against Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, and Liverpool looming. If they fail to bounce back from this defeat, their path to the knockout stages could be at risk.