Lille plan to feast at top table

Immediate return
Lille gained entry to the UEFA Cup by finishing third in a tight UEFA Champions League Group D containing Villarreal CF, SL Benfica and Manchester United FC, and maintained their bid for a qualifying berth for next term's tournament with a 3-1 win against FC Metz on Sunday. "To get back into the competition as soon as possible", was coach Claude Puel's declared intent after the concluding Matchday 6 defeat at Villarreal in December.

Key absentees
A quick return looks increasingly likely after Lille's superb start to 2006. Despite losing inspirational but injured playmaker Milenko Ačimovič - scorer of their famous winner against Manchester United - for the campaign, and key players Jean Makoun, Peter Odemwingie and Tony Sylva to the African Cup of Nations, they have taken ten points from five games, rising four places in the table.

Second in sight
While the club's 40 points will be enough to ensure Puel's pre-season aim of top-flight survival, the coach's true ambitions are much loftier. Five points separate Lille from FC Girondins de Bordeaux and the second automatic qualifying spot for the UEFA Champions League - the place they surprisingly snatched last term.

'Lapses in play'
However, a return to the European élite was far from the agenda on Sunday, when Lille struggled to overcome bottom team Metz, being forced to rely on their dominance at set-pieces. "It is a part of our game that we have worked on," said midfielder Matthieu Chalmé. Puel acknowledged that room for improvement remains, saying: "We still have lapses in terms of our play and focus, and need to rectify that."

Tavlaridis celebration
Summer signing Kader Keita marked his first start with his first Lille goal, while Efstathios Tavlaridis also opened his account almost three years after joining from Arsenal FC, running over to Puel to celebrate. "I always tease him about his heading in attacking situations - he was pleased to have proved me wrong," said Puel.