Real Madrid named Kylian Mbappe in their squad to face Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday after he missed one match with a thigh injury.

The French forward was expected to be out until after the upcoming international break but appears to have made a quick recovery.

Mbappe sustained the problem last Tuesday in the La Liga win over Alaves and was unavailable for Sunday's 1-1 derby draw at Atletico Madrid.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/india-batter-virat-kohli-becomes-first-batter-to-reach-this-milestone-in-test-history-763284">India batter Virat Kohli becomes first player to reach THIS milestone in Test history</a>

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti selected Mbappe in his squad on Monday for the trip to France to face Ligue 1 side Lille, who will be without the striker's injured brother Ethan.

Los Blancos goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was not included in the squad after suffering a hip muscle injury against Atletico.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Real Madrid named Kylian Mbappe in their squad to face Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday after he missed one match with a thigh injury. The French forward was expected to be out until after the upcoming international break but appears to have made a quick recovery.

Real Madrid named Kylian Mbappe in their squad to face Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday after he missed one match with a thigh injury. The French forward was expected to be out until after the upcoming international break but appears to have made a quick recovery. Mbappe sustained the problem last Tuesday in the La Liga win over Alaves and was unavailable for Sunday's 1-1 derby draw at Atletico Madrid. ALSO READ | India batter Virat Kohli becomes first player to reach THIS milestone in Test history Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti selected Mbappe in his squad on Monday for the trip to France to face Ligue 1 side Lille, who will be without the striker's injured brother Ethan. Los Blancos goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was not included in the squad after suffering a hip muscle injury against Atletico. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Champions League: Kylian Mbappe named in Real Madrid squad to face Lille after thigh injury

Europe is facing an energy crunch, the situation was triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Now the lighting of public buildings has been stopped in the city of Lille in northern France in order to reduce energy consumption.

Lights out at public buildings in France's Lille; aims to cut 7% of city's energy usage

Holders Chelsea made light of their off-pitch problems to reach the Champions League quarter-finals by beating Lille 2-1 away on Wednesday to complete a 4-1 aggregate victory.

The Premier League side, playing amid sanctions imposed on their Russian owner Roman Abramovich following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, eased through thanks to goals by Christian Pulisic and Cesar Azpilicueta. 
 
French champions Lille dominated for long spells and opened the scoring thanks to a Burak Yilmaz penalty in the opening half, but lacked precision upfront and paid dearly for lapses in concentration.

Chelsea, operating on a special licence from the British government that has limited their spending and impacted their operations, showed great composure to ease into the last eight.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-villarreal-knock-juventus-out-with-3-0-victory-to-enter-quarter-finals-463110">Champions League: Villarreal knock Juventus out with 3-0 victory to enter quarter-finals</a>

"Everyone is calm at the club. The club's culture is about football. Football is the priority at Chelsea, that's why we're focused on what happens on the pitch," Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel told French TV channel RMC Sport.

At their Pierre Mauroy stadium, Lille had made the better start to the match.

Jocelyn Gouvennec's side put Chelsea on the back foot as Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho and N'Golo Kante struggled to take control of the midfield.

Lille were rewarded in the 38th minute when they were awarded a penalty following a VAR review after a Jorginho handball in the area.

The 36-year-old Yilmaz, the third oldest scorer in the Champions League knockout stages after Paolo Maldini and Ryan Giggs, buried the spot-kick into the top corner to give the hosts a deserved lead and high hopes of an upset after losing the first leg 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Lille, who had not conceded a goal in their three Ligue 1 games since the first leg, let their guard down, however, and Chelsea punished them with their first shot on target as Pulisic collected a fine through ball from Jorginho to score with a low shot three minutes into first-half stoppage time.

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Although they were hit by injuries which forced Sven Botman and Zeki Celik to leave the pitch, Lille applied more pressure after the break and Yilmaz wasted two clear chances.

Chelsea were far more ruthless and after 71 minutes Mason Mount's cross bounced off Azpilicueta's knee into the top corner to end Lille's hopes of reaching the last eight.

The result left Lille frustrated after a good performance that ended in defeat.

"I'm frustrated by the result, and by the fact that we missed out on qualification," said midfielder Amadou Onana. 
 
"Congratulations to Chelsea, they were the better team."

Holders Chelsea made light of their off-pitch problems to reach the Champions League quarter-finals by beating Lille 2-1 away on Wednesday to complete a 4-1 aggregate victory.

Holders Chelsea made light of their off-pitch problems to reach the Champions League quarter-finals by beating Lille 2-1 away on Wednesday to complete a 4-1 aggregate victory. The Premier League side, playing amid sanctions imposed on their Russian owner Roman Abramovich following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, eased through thanks to goals by Christian Pulisic and Cesar Azpilicueta. French champions Lille dominated for long spells and opened the scoring thanks to a Burak Yilmaz penalty in the opening half, but lacked precision upfront and paid dearly for lapses in concentration. Chelsea, operating on a special licence from the British government that has limited their spending and impacted their operations, showed great composure to ease into the last eight. ALSO READ: Champions League: Villarreal knock Juventus out with 3-0 victory to enter quarter-finals "Everyone is calm at the club. The club's culture is about football. Football is the priority at Chelsea, that's why we're focused on what happens on the pitch," Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel told French TV channel RMC Sport. At their Pierre Mauroy stadium, Lille had made the better start to the match. Jocelyn Gouvennec's side put Chelsea on the back foot as Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho and N'Golo Kante struggled to take control of the midfield. Lille were rewarded in the 38th minute when they were awarded a penalty following a VAR review after a Jorginho handball in the area. The 36-year-old Yilmaz, the third oldest scorer in the Champions League knockout stages after Paolo Maldini and Ryan Giggs, buried the spot-kick into the top corner to give the hosts a deserved lead and high hopes of an upset after losing the first leg 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. Lille, who had not conceded a goal in their three Ligue 1 games since the first leg, let their guard down, however, and Chelsea punished them with their first shot on target as Pulisic collected a fine through ball from Jorginho to score with a low shot three minutes into first-half stoppage time. ALSO READ: ISL: Kerala edge past League Shield winner Jamshedpur 2-1 over two legs to book first final berth since 2016 Although they were hit by injuries which forced Sven Botman and Zeki Celik to leave the pitch, Lille applied more pressure after the break and Yilmaz wasted two clear chances. Chelsea were far more ruthless and after 71 minutes Mason Mount's cross bounced off Azpilicueta's knee into the top corner to end Lille's hopes of reaching the last eight. The result left Lille frustrated after a good performance that ended in defeat. "I'm frustrated by the result, and by the fact that we missed out on qualification," said midfielder Amadou Onana. "Congratulations to Chelsea, they were the better team."

Champions League: Christian Pulisic, Cesar Azpilicueta score as Chelsea ease past Lille to enter quater-finals

Goals in each half from Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic earned defending champions Chelsea a solid 2-0 first-leg victory over Lille in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, but the London side will be concerned about injuries to key players.

Germany forward Havertz, who had already had two attempts on goal early in the game, headed down a Hakim Ziyech corner in the eighth minute and the ball bounced high off the turf into the net.

Chelsea left struggling striker Romelu Lukaku on the bench and it was American Pulisic who hit the second in the 63rd minute with a curling finish after N'Golo Kante's surging run and pinpoint pass.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-will-be-physical-it-will-be-emotional-manchester-united-coach-ralf-rangnick-on-battle-against-atletico-455461">'It will be physical, it will be emotional': Manchester United coach Ralf Rangnick on battle against Atletico</a>

The action was at times frenetic as Ligue 1 champions Lille sought to take something from the game into the second leg at home on March 16.

"They played good football and the first half was very difficult for us. Now it is halftime and the next game we have to win as well," Havertz told BT Sport.

The French side, who topped their qualifying group ahead of Salzburg, VfL Wolfsburg and Sevilla, kept Chelsea busy going forward with buzzing runs from Renato Sanches, Benjamin Andre and Jonathan Bamba.

But efforts from all three and from Canadian striker Jonathan David were either blocked, usually by defensive rock Thiago Silva, or collected easily by Edouard Mendy in the Chelsea goal.

Chelsea, who face Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday, may be satisfied with their two-goal lead in the tie but they will be concerned for the fitness of pivotal midfielder Mateo Kovacic and of in-form Ziyech who both limped off early in the second half.

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Thomas Tuchel's side are on an exhausting run of games with matches this month played or scheduled in five competitions.

They won the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi 10 days ago and injured trio Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi paraded the trophy round Stamford Bridge before kickoff.

They also won games in the FA Cup and Premier League before Tuesday's game and Sunday's final at Wembley.

"We did not play our best football," Havertz said. "We could not get the aggressiveness of the last few weeks but we won 2-0 and that is the most important thing. Sunday is another competition and we have to focus on that now."

Goals in each half from Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic earned defending champions Chelsea a solid 2-0 first-leg victory over Lille in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, but the London side will be concerned about injuries to key players.

Goals in each half from Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic earned defending champions Chelsea a solid 2-0 first-leg victory over Lille in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, but the London side will be concerned about injuries to key players. Germany forward Havertz, who had already had two attempts on goal early in the game, headed down a Hakim Ziyech corner in the eighth minute and the ball bounced high off the turf into the net. Chelsea left struggling striker Romelu Lukaku on the bench and it was American Pulisic who hit the second in the 63rd minute with a curling finish after N'Golo Kante's surging run and pinpoint pass. ALSO READ: 'It will be physical, it will be emotional': Manchester United coach Ralf Rangnick on battle against Atletico The action was at times frenetic as Ligue 1 champions Lille sought to take something from the game into the second leg at home on March 16. "They played good football and the first half was very difficult for us. Now it is halftime and the next game we have to win as well," Havertz told BT Sport. The French side, who topped their qualifying group ahead of Salzburg, VfL Wolfsburg and Sevilla, kept Chelsea busy going forward with buzzing runs from Renato Sanches, Benjamin Andre and Jonathan Bamba. But efforts from all three and from Canadian striker Jonathan David were either blocked, usually by defensive rock Thiago Silva, or collected easily by Edouard Mendy in the Chelsea goal. Chelsea, who face Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday, may be satisfied with their two-goal lead in the tie but they will be concerned for the fitness of pivotal midfielder Mateo Kovacic and of in-form Ziyech who both limped off early in the second half. ALSO READ: Bruno Fernandes responds after fans claim he took a dig Man Utd teammate Harry Maguire in Instagram post Thomas Tuchel's side are on an exhausting run of games with matches this month played or scheduled in five competitions. They won the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi 10 days ago and injured trio Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi paraded the trophy round Stamford Bridge before kickoff. They also won games in the FA Cup and Premier League before Tuesday's game and Sunday's final at Wembley. "We did not play our best football," Havertz said. "We could not get the aggressiveness of the last few weeks but we won 2-0 and that is the most important thing. Sunday is another competition and we have to focus on that now."

Champions League: Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic star as Chelsea beat Lille 2-0

An emotional Lille head coach Christophe Galtier, after his team’s Europa League match against Celtic on Thursday, said that France is “bruised” after a “cowardly” knife attack in Nice where three people were killed in a church as President Emmanuel Macron termed it as “Islamist terrorist attack”.

Galtier while offering condolences to the friends, families and relatives of the people who were murdered in the incident said it was a difficult day for him personally and added that he would have avoided working on the day if it was in his hands.&nbsp;

"France is bruised... France is bruised," said Galtier.

"Even if it is not much, I want to offer my condolences to the friends, to the families, to the relatives of the people who were cowardly murdered today in a church. Two women, one man...

"Believe me, it was a difficult day on a personal level. If I could have avoided working, I would have done."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-knife-attack-world-leaders-condemn-deadly-stabbings-338800" hreflang="en">France knife attack: World leaders condemn deadly stabbings</a>

A 21-year-old Tunisian migrant had a copy of the Koran and three knives with him as he shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is Greatest) when approached by the police who shot and seriously wounded him, France’s anti-terror prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard said during a press conference.&nbsp;

"Apart from the health crisis, to live such moments in our beautiful country, believe me, that it is very difficult," added Galtier, with France to reenter lockdown on Friday in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus.

"And once again, I reiterate all my support to the relatives of the cowardly murdered people and to the people of Nice. It's a city that is often the target of attacks."

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This is not the first time Nice was attacked by terrorists. In July 2016, 86 people were killed in a terror attack.

Meanwhile, Lille drew their Europa League group game with Celtic 2-2. 
&nbsp;

An emotional Lille head coach Christophe Galtier, after his team’s Europa League match against Celtic on Thursday, said that France is “bruised” after a “cowardly” knife attack in Nice where three people were killed in a church as President Emmanuel Macron termed it as “Islamist terrorist attack”.

An emotional Lille head coach Christophe Galtier, after his team’s Europa League match against Celtic on Thursday, said that France is “bruised” after a “cowardly” knife attack in Nice where three people were killed in a church as President Emmanuel Macron termed it as “Islamist terrorist attack”. Galtier while offering condolences to the friends, families and relatives of the people who were murdered in the incident said it was a difficult day for him personally and added that he would have avoided working on the day if it was in his hands. "France is bruised... France is bruised," said Galtier. "Even if it is not much, I want to offer my condolences to the friends, to the families, to the relatives of the people who were cowardly murdered today in a church. Two women, one man... "Believe me, it was a difficult day on a personal level. If I could have avoided working, I would have done." ALSO READ: France knife attack: World leaders condemn deadly stabbings A 21-year-old Tunisian migrant had a copy of the Koran and three knives with him as he shouted “Allahu Akbar” (God is Greatest) when approached by the police who shot and seriously wounded him, France’s anti-terror prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard said during a press conference. "Apart from the health crisis, to live such moments in our beautiful country, believe me, that it is very difficult," added Galtier, with France to reenter lockdown on Friday in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus. "And once again, I reiterate all my support to the relatives of the cowardly murdered people and to the people of Nice. It's a city that is often the target of attacks." ALSO READ: Spurs stunned by Antwerp, Milan cruise to victory This is not the first time Nice was attacked by terrorists. In July 2016, 86 people were killed in a terror attack. Meanwhile, Lille drew their Europa League group game with Celtic 2-2.

France 'bruised' after 'cowardly' terror attack in Nice: Lille coach Galtier

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lampard-keen-to-strengthen-chelseas-attack-in-january-267569">Chelsea</a> survived a nerve-jangling finale to their 2-1 win over Lille on Tuesday, eventually holding on to clinch a place in the Champions League knock-out stages thanks to first-half goals from Tammy Abraham and captain Cesar Azpilicueta.

Chelsea, who needed a victory to make sure of qualification, had gone five <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/liverpool-advance-to-last-16-with-2-0-win-in-salzburg-267561">Champions League</a> games at Stamford Bridge without a victory, their longest such run at home in the competition.

They dominated almost the entire game yet Lille, who were already condemned to the bottom spot of Group H and fielded an under-strength side, scored in the 78th minute and came close to a late equaliser that would have eliminated Chelsea.

Victory left Chelsea second in the group on 11 points behind Valencia, who won 1-0 at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/onana-passed-fit-but-ajax-miss-injured-striker-promes-267387">Ajax Amsterdam</a>, consigning the Dutch champions to third place and elimination. Lille ended with just one point.

"It did get twitchy," Chelsea coach Frank Lampard said. "We need to take our chances better. At 2-0, I thought it was not quite done and when Lille scored it made it a more nervy finish to the game than it needed to be."

After dominating the opening proceedings in a downpour and swirling wind, Chelsea went ahead in the 19th minute when U.S. striker Christian Pulisic darted forward to feed Willian and the Brazilian's cut-back cross was turned in by Abraham.

The Londoners doubled their lead in the 35th minute when Azpilicueta shook off his marker to score with a close-range header from a corner by Emerson.

But what had looked like being a comfortable night for the Blues proved anything but once former Chelsea striker Loic Remy pulled a goal back for Lille with his shot going in off the underside of the bar.

Remy then wasted a chance to equalise when he shot straight at Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in injury time.

Lille coach Christophe Galtier said his team had struggled in the opening 30 minutes to cope with Chelsea and the heavy rain and wind that swept around Stamford Bridge.

"Chelsea seemed to play a bit less in the second half. We got more of the ball and we deserved to get our goal," he said. "It made the match more interesting than what went before it. We could have scored a second goal."

The result meant all four English teams in this season's Champions League - Liverpool, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-not-on-par-with-european-elite-says-guardiola-267118">Manchester City</a> and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Chelsea - have reached the last 16 of the competition.

There was further good news for Chelsea as they welcomed back central defender Antonio Rudiger who had previously played only 45 minutes this season due to injuries.

Chelsea survived a nerve-jangling finale to their 2-1 win over Lille on Tuesday, eventually holding on to clinch a place in the Champions League knock-out stages thanks to first-half goals from Tammy Abraham and captain Cesar Azpilicueta.

Chelsea survived a nerve-jangling finale to their 2-1 win over Lille on Tuesday, eventually holding on to clinch a place in the Champions League knock-out stages thanks to first-half goals from Tammy Abraham and captain Cesar Azpilicueta. Chelsea, who needed a victory to make sure of qualification, had gone five Champions League games at Stamford Bridge without a victory, their longest such run at home in the competition. They dominated almost the entire game yet Lille, who were already condemned to the bottom spot of Group H and fielded an under-strength side, scored in the 78th minute and came close to a late equaliser that would have eliminated Chelsea. Victory left Chelsea second in the group on 11 points behind Valencia, who won 1-0 at Ajax Amsterdam, consigning the Dutch champions to third place and elimination. Lille ended with just one point. "It did get twitchy," Chelsea coach Frank Lampard said. "We need to take our chances better. At 2-0, I thought it was not quite done and when Lille scored it made it a more nervy finish to the game than it needed to be." After dominating the opening proceedings in a downpour and swirling wind, Chelsea went ahead in the 19th minute when U.S. striker Christian Pulisic darted forward to feed Willian and the Brazilian's cut-back cross was turned in by Abraham. The Londoners doubled their lead in the 35th minute when Azpilicueta shook off his marker to score with a close-range header from a corner by Emerson. But what had looked like being a comfortable night for the Blues proved anything but once former Chelsea striker Loic Remy pulled a goal back for Lille with his shot going in off the underside of the bar. Remy then wasted a chance to equalise when he shot straight at Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in injury time. Lille coach Christophe Galtier said his team had struggled in the opening 30 minutes to cope with Chelsea and the heavy rain and wind that swept around Stamford Bridge. "Chelsea seemed to play a bit less in the second half. We got more of the ball and we deserved to get our goal," he said. "It made the match more interesting than what went before it. We could have scored a second goal." The result meant all four English teams in this season's Champions League - Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Chelsea - have reached the last 16 of the competition. There was further good news for Chelsea as they welcomed back central defender Antonio Rudiger who had previously played only 45 minutes this season due to injuries.

Chelsea hold on against Lille to advance in Champions League

Valencia breathed life into their hopes of qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League with a stunning second-half turnaround to beat Lille 4-1 at home on Tuesday.

Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen gave the French side a deserved lead in the 25th minute, but Valencia drew level in the 65th minute with an ice-cool 'Panenka' penalty from captain Dani Parejo.

The home side went ahead in the 82nd with an own goal from Lille defender Adama Soumaoro, who diverted Jose Gaya's low cross into the net.

French midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia stretched Valencia's lead two minutes later with an outstanding long-distance strike, and substitute Ferran Torres rounded off the win with a coolly-taken finish in the 90th.

The victory puts the Spaniards third in Group H on seven points, level on points with leaders Ajax Amsterdam and second-placed Chelsea who played out a thrilling 4-4 draw. Lille are bottom with one.

"This was a crucial game for our chances to qualify and we needed to win it, we worked hard and played with purpose," said goalscorer Kondogbia.

"We reacted well after conceding and in the end, we were much better than them which is why we scored four goals."

Valencia have had inconsistent results after sacking coach Marcelino in September and badly needed a win after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser to draw 1-1 away to Lille two weeks ago.

They produced a sluggish display in the first half, though, and fell behind when Osimhen fired past Jasper Cillessen after an attempted clearance from the home side took a ricochet and bounced into his path.

Rodrigo could have levelled on the stroke of halftime but was thwarted by a fine save from Mike Maignan and they were fortunate not to concede again when the lively Osimhen teed up Turkish forward Yusuf Yazici but he shot straight at Cillessen.

Lille would pay dearly for their wastefulness as defender Jose Fonte was penalised for handling the ball when he tried to block a cross and Parejo showed nerves of steel by calmly chipping the ball down the middle of the net.

The goal roused the Mestalla faithful and the players fed off their energy, producing a relentless finish to kill off their opponents.

&nbsp;

Valencia breathed life into their hopes of qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League with a stunning second-half turnaround to beat Lille 4-1 at home on Tuesday.

Valencia breathed life into their hopes of qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League with a stunning second-half turnaround to beat Lille 4-1 at home on Tuesday. Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen gave the French side a deserved lead in the 25th minute, but Valencia drew level in the 65th minute with an ice-cool 'Panenka' penalty from captain Dani Parejo. The home side went ahead in the 82nd with an own goal from Lille defender Adama Soumaoro, who diverted Jose Gaya's low cross into the net. French midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia stretched Valencia's lead two minutes later with an outstanding long-distance strike, and substitute Ferran Torres rounded off the win with a coolly-taken finish in the 90th. The victory puts the Spaniards third in Group H on seven points, level on points with leaders Ajax Amsterdam and second-placed Chelsea who played out a thrilling 4-4 draw. Lille are bottom with one. "This was a crucial game for our chances to qualify and we needed to win it, we worked hard and played with purpose," said goalscorer Kondogbia. "We reacted well after conceding and in the end, we were much better than them which is why we scored four goals." Valencia have had inconsistent results after sacking coach Marcelino in September and badly needed a win after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser to draw 1-1 away to Lille two weeks ago. They produced a sluggish display in the first half, though, and fell behind when Osimhen fired past Jasper Cillessen after an attempted clearance from the home side took a ricochet and bounced into his path. Rodrigo could have levelled on the stroke of halftime but was thwarted by a fine save from Mike Maignan and they were fortunate not to concede again when the lively Osimhen teed up Turkish forward Yusuf Yazici but he shot straight at Cillessen. Lille would pay dearly for their wastefulness as defender Jose Fonte was penalised for handling the ball when he tried to block a cross and Parejo showed nerves of steel by calmly chipping the ball down the middle of the net. The goal roused the Mestalla faithful and the players fed off their energy, producing a relentless finish to kill off their opponents.

Champions League: Valencia roar back in second half to thrash Lille

Arsenal have signed forward Nicolas Pepe from French club Lille for a club-record fee, the Premier League side said on Thursday.

Financial details of the transfer were not revealed but British media reported it was around 72 million pounds ($87.39 million), eclipsing the 56 million pounds paid to Borussia Dortmund for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last year.

"Nicolas is a highly-rated and talented winger who was wanted by many of the top teams in Europe," Arsenal manager Unai Emery said in a statement.&nbsp;

"Signing a top-class winger has been one of our key objectives in this transfer window and I'm delighted he's joining.

"He will add pace, power and creativity, with the aim of bringing more goals to our team."

The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international signed a five-year deal and will wear the number 19 shirt at the London club.

Pepe, who was also linked with many European clubs in the close season, scored 22 goals in Ligue 1 last season -- second only to Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe who scored 33 goals -- and also grabbed 11 assists.

"Being here is very emotional because it has not been easy for me," said Pepe. "I have come a long way and struggled a lot and so signing for this great club is a big reward."

Pepe is Arsenal's fourth recruit of the close season after the club signed Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli, midfielder Dani Ceballos on loan from Real Madrid and centre back William Saliba, who has been loaned back to St Etienne for the season.

Arsenal, who finished fifth last season, play a friendly against Barcelona on Sunday before they begin the new league campaign with a trip to Newcastle United on Aug. 11.

Arsenal have signed forward Nicolas Pepe from French club Lille for a club-record fee, the Premier League side said on Thursday. Financial details of the transfer were not revealed but British media reported it was around 72 million pounds ($87.

Arsenal have signed forward Nicolas Pepe from French club Lille for a club-record fee, the Premier League side said on Thursday. Financial details of the transfer were not revealed but British media reported it was around 72 million pounds ($87.39 million), eclipsing the 56 million pounds paid to Borussia Dortmund for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last year. "Nicolas is a highly-rated and talented winger who was wanted by many of the top teams in Europe," Arsenal manager Unai Emery said in a statement. "Signing a top-class winger has been one of our key objectives in this transfer window and I'm delighted he's joining. "He will add pace, power and creativity, with the aim of bringing more goals to our team." The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international signed a five-year deal and will wear the number 19 shirt at the London club. Pepe, who was also linked with many European clubs in the close season, scored 22 goals in Ligue 1 last season -- second only to Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe who scored 33 goals -- and also grabbed 11 assists. "Being here is very emotional because it has not been easy for me," said Pepe. "I have come a long way and struggled a lot and so signing for this great club is a big reward." Pepe is Arsenal's fourth recruit of the close season after the club signed Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli, midfielder Dani Ceballos on loan from Real Madrid and centre back William Saliba, who has been loaned back to St Etienne for the season. Arsenal, who finished fifth last season, play a friendly against Barcelona on Sunday before they begin the new league campaign with a trip to Newcastle United on Aug. 11.

Arsenal sign Ivorian forward Pepe in club record deal

The stakes could not have been higher as individuals and teams from around the world battled it out at the FAI 3rd World Indoor Skydiving Championship which came to a close on Saturday (April 20) in Lille, France.

High-flying daredevils battle to be World Indoor Skydiving champs

Second-placed Lille were held to a 1-1 draw at Stade Reims on Sunday to leave leaders Paris St Germain on the brink of an eighth Ligue 1 title.

Rui Fontes' second-half opener was cancelled out by Reims' Remi Oudin to leave Lille on 61 points with seven games left.

PSG, who have 80 points, will clinch the title if they beat Racing Strasbourg at the Parc des Princes later on Sunday (1900GMT/3 PM ET).

At Reims' Auguste Delaune stadium, Fonte headed home 10 minutes into the second half from a Thiago Mendes corner.

Oudin equalised 12 minutes from fulltime with a low shot after being set up by Tristan Dingome.

Reims are sixth on 47 points.

Second-placed Lille were held to a 1-1 draw at Stade Reims on Sunday to leave leaders Paris St Germain on the brink of an eighth Ligue 1 title. Rui Fontes' second-half opener was cancelled out by Reims' Remi Oudin to leave Lille on 61 points with seven games left.

Second-placed Lille were held to a 1-1 draw at Stade Reims on Sunday to leave leaders Paris St Germain on the brink of an eighth Ligue 1 title. Rui Fontes' second-half opener was cancelled out by Reims' Remi Oudin to leave Lille on 61 points with seven games left. PSG, who have 80 points, will clinch the title if they beat Racing Strasbourg at the Parc des Princes later on Sunday (1900GMT/3 PM ET). At Reims' Auguste Delaune stadium, Fonte headed home 10 minutes into the second half from a Thiago Mendes corner. Oudin equalised 12 minutes from fulltime with a low shot after being set up by Tristan Dingome. Reims are sixth on 47 points.

Lille draw at Reims to leave PSG on brink of title

Winger Nicolas Pepe won two penalties, converting one himself, as Lille beat Olympique de Marseille 3-0 to move into second place in Ligue 1, eight points behind leaders Paris St Germain, who defeated Nice 3-0 on Saturday.&nbsp;

Lille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda conceded a penalty in the 63rd minute of Sunday's late game when he brought down Pepe, who stepped up to slam the spot kick past the hapless keeper.&nbsp;

Marseille quickly brought on the attacking duo of Dimitri Payet and Kostas Mitroglou. But as they fought back desperately Pepe was brought down again, this time by Luiz Gustavo, and Jonathan Bamba scored from the spot in the 86th minute.&nbsp;

Bamba put the game out of reach three minutes later, stabbing full back Fode Ballo-Toure's pass home from close range.&nbsp;

PSG maintained their grip on first position with a 3-0 win over Nice, with Neymar scoring twice for the visitors and the home side reduced to 10 men after Wylan Cyprien was sent off in the 59th minute.&nbsp;

It was PSG's eighth win in eight league games this season, and the champions have now scored 27 goals while conceding only six.&nbsp;

Earlier on Sunday, Montpellier's third goal in the 79th minute of their 3-0 victory against Nimes sparked crowd trouble that delayed the game for half an hour, with referee Ruddy Buquet removing the players from the field before returning to finish the game.&nbsp;

The result moved Montpellier into third place in the standings ahead of St Etienne, who beat Monaco 2-0 at home on Friday, on goal difference.

Rennes looked set to take all three points against 10-man Toulouse thanks to a Mbaye Niang penalty in the 70th minute. However, Jean-Clair Todibo struck three minutes from time in Sunday's early game to give the visitors a hard-earned point.

Bottom side Guingamp got their first win of the season on Saturday, Nicolas Benezet firing the only goal of the game as they won 1-0 away to Angers, while fellow strugglers Nantes battled to a 1-1 draw away to Olympique Lyonnais.&nbsp;

After losing 3-2 late on to Marseille on Wednesday, Strasbourg bounced back to climb into eighth place with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Dijon.

Winger Nicolas Pepe won two penalties, converting one himself, as Lille beat Olympique de Marseille 3-0 to move into second place in Ligue 1, eight points behind leaders Paris St Germain, who defeated Nice 3-0 on Saturday.

Winger Nicolas Pepe won two penalties, converting one himself, as Lille beat Olympique de Marseille 3-0 to move into second place in Ligue 1, eight points behind leaders Paris St Germain, who defeated Nice 3-0 on Saturday. Lille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda conceded a penalty in the 63rd minute of Sunday's late game when he brought down Pepe, who stepped up to slam the spot kick past the hapless keeper. Marseille quickly brought on the attacking duo of Dimitri Payet and Kostas Mitroglou. But as they fought back desperately Pepe was brought down again, this time by Luiz Gustavo, and Jonathan Bamba scored from the spot in the 86th minute. Bamba put the game out of reach three minutes later, stabbing full back Fode Ballo-Toure's pass home from close range. PSG maintained their grip on first position with a 3-0 win over Nice, with Neymar scoring twice for the visitors and the home side reduced to 10 men after Wylan Cyprien was sent off in the 59th minute. It was PSG's eighth win in eight league games this season, and the champions have now scored 27 goals while conceding only six. Earlier on Sunday, Montpellier's third goal in the 79th minute of their 3-0 victory against Nimes sparked crowd trouble that delayed the game for half an hour, with referee Ruddy Buquet removing the players from the field before returning to finish the game. The result moved Montpellier into third place in the standings ahead of St Etienne, who beat Monaco 2-0 at home on Friday, on goal difference. Rennes looked set to take all three points against 10-man Toulouse thanks to a Mbaye Niang penalty in the 70th minute. However, Jean-Clair Todibo struck three minutes from time in Sunday's early game to give the visitors a hard-earned point. Bottom side Guingamp got their first win of the season on Saturday, Nicolas Benezet firing the only goal of the game as they won 1-0 away to Angers, while fellow strugglers Nantes battled to a 1-1 draw away to Olympique Lyonnais. After losing 3-2 late on to Marseille on Wednesday, Strasbourg bounced back to climb into eighth place with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Dijon.

Lille overcome Marseille 3-0, PSG win eighth straight in Ligue 1

Paris St Germain shrugged off two consecutive defeats to beat Lille 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Saturday and open a 12-point lead at the top of the standings.

PSG lost in their previous league match against Strasbourg last Saturday, and then came undone against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek.

However, they led through Angel Di Maria&#39;s 28th-minute opener at the Parc des Princes and Javier Pastore doubled their advantage four minutes after the break. Anwar El Ghazi pulled one back for Lille before Kylian Mbappe struck in stoppage time.

Without the suspended Neymar, Mbappe was the catalyst for much of PSG&#39;s better work and it was his cross that allowed Di Maria to break the deadlock with a header.

It was PSG&#39;s only effort on goal in the first half but they added to their lead shortly after halftime when a counter-attack ended with Di Maria teeing up Pastore to score.

Lille were still a threat and El Ghazi capitalised on some mistakes in the home side&#39;s defence to score with three minutes of normal time remaining.

Mbappe sealed the victory for PSG with a lightning-fast run up the field and composed finish into an empty net after Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan had gone up for a corner.

The result left Lille still waiting for a first victory over the capital club since 1996.

Monaco can cut the gap to nine points later on Saturday if they beat Troyes, while Olympique Lyon and Olympique Marseille can also get to within nine of the leaders on Sunday.

Without the suspended Neymar, Mbappe was the catalyst for much of PSG's better work and it was his cross that allowed Di Maria to break the deadlock with a header.

Paris St Germain shrugged off two consecutive defeats to beat Lille 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Saturday and open a 12-point lead at the top of the standings. PSG lost in their previous league match against Strasbourg last Saturday, and then came undone against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek. However, they led through Angel Di Maria's 28th-minute opener at the Parc des Princes and Javier Pastore doubled their advantage four minutes after the break. Anwar El Ghazi pulled one back for Lille before Kylian Mbappe struck in stoppage time. Without the suspended Neymar, Mbappe was the catalyst for much of PSG's better work and it was his cross that allowed Di Maria to break the deadlock with a header. It was PSG's only effort on goal in the first half but they added to their lead shortly after halftime when a counter-attack ended with Di Maria teeing up Pastore to score. Lille were still a threat and El Ghazi capitalised on some mistakes in the home side's defence to score with three minutes of normal time remaining. Mbappe sealed the victory for PSG with a lightning-fast run up the field and composed finish into an empty net after Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan had gone up for a corner. The result left Lille still waiting for a first victory over the capital club since 1996. Monaco can cut the gap to nine points later on Saturday if they beat Troyes, while Olympique Lyon and Olympique Marseille can also get to within nine of the leaders on Sunday.

Football: PSG back on track with victory over Lille

A small group of Russian and English fans briefly scuffled in Lille in the early hours of Wednesday (June 15) morning, after bars and pubs closed in the northern French city where thousands of supporters continue to arrive for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament. 
 
Lille is seen as the next potential Euro 2016 trouble spot as Russia play Slovakia there on Wednesday. England fans are also congregating there ahead of their match against Wales in nearby Lens on Thursday (June 16). 
 
Both teams have been threatened with expulsion from the competition if the violence seen in Marseille last week is repeated. 
 
The brief skirmish between the Russian and English fans was broken up by police. 
 
Authorities in Lille and Lens have ordered alcohol bans running from Tuesday (June 14) to Friday (June 17), officials said.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters) 
 
&nbsp;

They scuffle in Lille despite UEFA warning that they will be disqualified if they do so

A small group of Russian and English fans briefly scuffled in Lille in the early hours of Wednesday (June 15) morning, after bars and pubs closed in the northern French city where thousands of supporters continue to arrive for the Euro 2016 soccer tournament. Lille is seen as the next potential Euro 2016 trouble spot as Russia play Slovakia there on Wednesday. England fans are also congregating there ahead of their match against Wales in nearby Lens on Thursday (June 16). Both teams have been threatened with expulsion from the competition if the violence seen in Marseille last week is repeated. The brief skirmish between the Russian and English fans was broken up by police. Authorities in Lille and Lens have ordered alcohol bans running from Tuesday (June 14) to Friday (June 17), officials said. (Reuters)

Never mind the warning, Russia and England fans go at it again

UEFA said today that it regretted the unrest on the streets of Lille overnight on the eve of the Euro 2016 soccer match between England and Wales, but it stopped taking any action to punish fan violence. 
 
French riot police charged and used tear gas to disperse rowdy English soccer fans on yesterday night. Police said about 50 people were hurt during Wednesday, 16 of whom were hospitalised. 
 
&quot;UEFA regrets the skirmishes which occurred in Lille last night. Police forces made several arrests and were quick to restore order and keep the situation under control,&quot; said UEFA, European soccer&#39;s governing body,in their statement. 
 
It made no reference to any action it might take. 
 
After violence in the Mediterranean port of Marseille before and after England&#39;s 1-1 draw with Russia on Saturday, UEFA warned England that a repetition of fans&#39; violent behaviour could see the team expelled. 
 
UEFA also told Russia that it would be disqualified if there was repeat of their fans&#39; violent behaviour, which included attacks on England supporters in the stadium as the match ended. 
 
Lille was seen as a potential flashpoint for trouble, with Russia also playing in the northern town on Wednesday. The Russians lost 2-1 to Slovakia. 
 
England&#39;s match with Wales in the same Euro 2016 group was due to take place in nearby Lens later on Thursday. 
 
One England fan complained that police had over-reacted on Wednesday night. 
 
&quot;This is a bunch of good fans having a good time. What&#39;s happening is the police are trying to enclose people,&quot; he told Reuters. &quot;It&#39;s not hooliganism at all, it&#39;s just a bunch of guys having a good time, having a good drink, that&#39;s it.&quot; 
 
Separately, police in Lyon in southeast France said two fans suffered stab wounds in a fan zone there. 
 
Lyon police said one of those wounded, a Frenchman, had told them that one of his attackers wore an Albania football shirt. 
 
France beat Albania 2-0 in another of Wednesday&#39;s games. 
 
Marseille police also said a further 20 Russian fans were to be expelled from France, while three others were to go on trial. 
(Reuters)

After violence in Marseille, UEFA warned English fans that repetition of hooliganism can disqualify England from the event

UEFA said today that it regretted the unrest on the streets of Lille overnight on the eve of the Euro 2016 soccer match between England and Wales, but it stopped taking any action to punish fan violence. French riot police charged and used tear gas to disperse rowdy English soccer fans on yesterday night. Police said about 50 people were hurt during Wednesday, 16 of whom were hospitalised. "UEFA regrets the skirmishes which occurred in Lille last night. Police forces made several arrests and were quick to restore order and keep the situation under control," said UEFA, European soccer's governing body,in their statement. It made no reference to any action it might take. After violence in the Mediterranean port of Marseille before and after England's 1-1 draw with Russia on Saturday, UEFA warned England that a repetition of fans' violent behaviour could see the team expelled. UEFA also told Russia that it would be disqualified if there was repeat of their fans' violent behaviour, which included attacks on England supporters in the stadium as the match ended. Lille was seen as a potential flashpoint for trouble, with Russia also playing in the northern town on Wednesday. The Russians lost 2-1 to Slovakia. England's match with Wales in the same Euro 2016 group was due to take place in nearby Lens later on Thursday. One England fan complained that police had over-reacted on Wednesday night. "This is a bunch of good fans having a good time. What's happening is the police are trying to enclose people," he told Reuters. "It's not hooliganism at all, it's just a bunch of guys having a good time, having a good drink, that's it." Separately, police in Lyon in southeast France said two fans suffered stab wounds in a fan zone there. Lyon police said one of those wounded, a Frenchman, had told them that one of his attackers wore an Albania football shirt. France beat Albania 2-0 in another of Wednesday's games. Marseille police also said a further 20 Russian fans were to be expelled from France, while three others were to go on trial. (Reuters)

UEFA "regrets" overnight soccer violence ahead of England-Wales match

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