Pulisic and Azpilicueta help Chelsea fend off Lille despite turbulent future

There is still no guarantee that Chelsea will be able to finish the season, the reality of their precarious situation meaning even the unlikeliest of scenarios coming to pass cannot be ruled out, but by the same token there is every chance that they could yet end it by holding on to their European crown.

Stranger things have happened and there will always be hope as long as Chelsea have Thomas Tuchel on the touchline, working out how to bend games in their favour. The German’s side are through to the last eight of the Champions League and Tuchel, whose moral leadership has been so impressive ever since it became clear that Roman Abramovich’s ownership could not continue, will feel the holders have a chance of lifting this trophy again after goals from Christian Pulisic and César Azpilicueta helped them see off a spirited, creative challenge from Lille.

After the rows over ticket allocations and the negotiations over travel allowances, how Chelsea must have craved a quiet night. From Tuchel’s perspective there was no need for any drama. Every day has seemed to bring a new form of uncertainty for Chelsea, who felt public sympathy slipping away when they tried to get Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Middlesbrough moved behind closed doors, and Tuchel’s selection suggested that he was not worried about putting on a show, the sight of eight defensive players behind Kai Havertz and Pulisic a clear indication that the visitors were focused on containment over entertainment.

It certainly looked like an imposing challenge for Lille, who had created little when they lost the first leg 2-0 last month. The Stade Pierre-Mauroy was a noisy place at kick-off, the home crowd urging their players on, but in truth it was difficult