Ligue 1 champions Lille claimed the Trophée des Champions on Sunday night with a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain, and Portuguese midfielder Xeka was the match-winner and star of the show.
Xeka scored a sensational first-half winner for Lille in what is the French version of the Super Cup, but the former Braga man looks likely to make a move before the end of the window due to ongoing financial problems at the club.
The only goal of the game, staged in Tel-Aviv, was scored on the stroke of half time. Xeka received the ball outside the box and fired a crisp shot across PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas and into the top corner to give Lille the trophy for the first time in their history. Captain José Fonte lifted the cup for Lille, who also had Tiago Djaló in defence, while Angel Gomes took a place on the bench and Renato Sanches missed out.
The Porto native was named the Man of the Match, after which he spoke to the media. “For me winning the best player of the match is just a bonus because this is a trophy won by the whole team. We worked as a team throughout the match as usual and we deserved it. Work always pays off; we have shown again that we still have our identity, and we still want to win.”
Reminder of that Xeka winner pic.twitter.com/vrg9ZS7kOI
— Sean Gillen (@SeanGillen9) August 2, 2021
Exit looms?
Lille’s task of sustaining success is set to be hampered by ongoing financial problems. Having lost title-winning coach Christophe Galtier to Nice in the summer, along with goalkeeper Mike Maignan (AC Milan) and midfielder Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City) there will likely be more cuts made as the club struggles to balance the books.
Xeka has just one year left on his contract and Lille reportedly cannot afford to enter negotiations to extend the deal beyond next summer. Therefore, Sunday’s performance represents an opportunity for all parties to showcase the midfielder to prospective buying clubs according to a report in L’Equipe shortly after the match.
As well as the intrigue over Xeka’s future, it also remains to be seen whether Renato Sanches will depart Stade Pierre-Mauroy before the end of the transfer window. Sanches has been linked with a move to Liverpool and Barcelona in recent weeks, although the Spanish club reportedly pulled out of the race for the former Benfica man.
By Sean Gillen
