Garcia optimistic despite CSKA comeback

Rudi Garcia, Lille coach
We are disappointed, of course but when I was allowed into the changing room [he was suspended] after the game, I told the players that if we keep playing like that we will go through. Obviously there are things we need to improve, but our biggest mistake didn't come until the end of the game. There was no special plan for [Vágner] Love and [Seydou] Doumbia, even though they are their two most dangerous players.

We felt that as long as we had the ball they were not a threat. This changed once we sat back and we saw the skills they both have. I'm pleased because we did not show nerves in our first game. We showed no complacency even though everyone told us we would win. No one is through, no one is out: it's just the beginning.

Leonid Slutski, CSKA coach
Lille are one of the best attacking teams we have faced. Keeping the ball better would have made our lives easier but it did not happen. In the first half we made a lot of technical errors and conceded a lot of possession. At half-time we spoke about our problems keeping the ball. Sometimes it looked like we needed to make several passes just to get a feel for the ball and to give us a break from defending, which we had to do 90% of the time.

There were several reasons why we were able to come back into the match. First, Sekou Oliseh coming on gave us greater strength out wide. Second, Lille seemed to ease off. They looked as though they did not think we could change our style to get back into the game. Finally, we were better able to link our play in order to create chances and score goals.