Chelsea youth coach Joe Cole has spoken of his time with Lille.
The Blues meet LOSC in the Champions League tonight.
"We missed out on the title but qualified for the Champions League again, which was the goal when I arrived because Lille are a big club," he told chelseafc.com.
"Their new stadium is amazing, they have an incredible youth system and a fantastic training ground. The club is the real hub of the city so it's a great place to play football and I have fond memories from my time there.
"Ligue 1 is a strong league and I found it tough physically, as well as learning a lot tactically during my time there. Since I've left, the team have been a bit up and down. The French league is a different animal now and finishing second is almost like winning it because PSG are so strong."
