Lille face battle to shine outside France

Coach Rudi Garcia, the man behind the free-flowing football that took the club to the Ligue 1 and French Cup double, will stay next season but Ivory Coast striker Gervinho and influential French international midfielder Yohan Cabaye have yet to be confirmed.

Where to play their Champions League home fixtures is also a worry for the northern club. Their new, 50,000-seater stadium in Lille will not be ready for another year and their temporary home, the Stadium Nord in Villeneuve d'Ascq, has yet to receive approval for European matches from governing body UEFA.

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