"Chelsea is an extraordinary team" - Club legend Gianfranco Zola says Lille will have to pull off two exceptional games to progress in Champions League

Blues players react during a match; [inset] Gianfranco Zola

Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola believes his former side will be the favorites to win when they take on LOSC Lille. The Blues host the reigning Ligue 1 champions at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie tonight (February 22).

Lille have struggled this season and find themselves 11th in the Ligue 1 standings with just 36 points from 25 matches. They are six points off AS Monaco in fourth place and a mammoth 23 points behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Jocelyn Gourvennec's side have also picked up just two wins from their last five matches.

The Blues, on the other hand, are third in the Premier League with 50 points from 25 matches. While they are some way off leaders Manchester City, they are in a good position to secure a top-four finish come the end of the season. Thomas Tuchel's men are also currently on a five-match winning streak across competitions.

#UCL action on home soil comes next! 👊 https://t.co/gvQVK7ppNO

Consequently, Zola believes Lille will have to work extremely hard to defeat his former side and progress into the Champions League quarterfinals. When asked what the French side need to do to beat the Blues, he told So Foot (via Sport Witness):

"What's clear is that if Lille want to pass this round, the club will have to come out with two exceptional games by converting the opportunities that they'll have. Because this Chelsea is an extraordinary team."

Zola played for Chelsea 302 times between 1996 and 2003, netting 76 goals and laying out 22 assists. He won two FA Cups, the Carabao Cup and the UEFA Super Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea will look to stamp their authority against Lille

Chelsea arguably got one of the more favorable draws in the Round of 16 stage of the Champions League when they drew Lille.

The French side have struggled since the start of the season and are the underdogs in this contest despite boasting some quality players in their ranks.

Tuchel's men will be high on confidence, having recently lifted the FIFA Club World Cup. They will also be extremely motivated, considering they are the defending champions in Europe's premier club competition. The Blues will want to finish most of the job at Stamford Bridge before traveling to France for the second leg next month.

Ready for tomorrow's challenge! 💪

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Chelsea are also prime candidates to lift both domestic cups. The Premier League giants will take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on February 29 and have also made it into the fifth round of the FA Cup.