Lille v Chelsea player ratings: Yilmaz 8, David 6; Pulisic 7, Jorginho 6

Champions League holders through to quarter-finals after winning 2-1 in France for a 4-1 aggregate victory

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Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel paid tribute to the "competitive spirit" of everyone associated with the club after reigning the Champions League holders set aside the current turmoil to reach the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

The London club, operating on a special licence from the British government that has limited their spending and impacted their operations after sanctions against their Russian owner Roman Abramovich, won 2-1 at Lille to secure a 4-1 aggregate victory.

"We are all competitors and I always experienced, from day one, a very competitive spirit and club. I think it's so clear what Chelsea demands from every employee and player. So play your role and play to the limit," said Tuchel, who led Chelsea to the European title in his first season in charge.

"Everybody plays a huge part at the moment. Everyone around the team, the whole 80 people who work at Cobham. We are competitive and are competitive no matter what."

Chelsea showed as much at the Pierre Mauroy stadium with a ruthless performance after Christian Pulisic and Cesar Azpilicueta scored either side of the interval to make the most of their opponents' lapses in concentration.

Lille had taken the lead through a 38th-minute Burak Yilmaz penalty to keep the contest alive after Chelsea won the first leg at Stamford Bridge 2-0. However, the Pulisic and Azpilicueta goals effectively killed off the tie.

Regardless of the result, Tuchel said the context would not provide him with excuses as his team are focused on their pitch performance.

"There's always a thin line as to why things are difficult and excuses. We have responsibility and we take that. Once you work for Chelsea, this is what you do," he said. "Once you work for Chelsea, you work at the limit and it's what you do on a daily basis."

Looking ahead to the quarter-finals, the German said Chelsea would again be tough to beat.

"I want us to be the team nobody wants to play. That's the role we want to see ourselves in this last eight," he said.

Click or swipe through the photo gallery above to view Emma James' player ratings from the Pierre Mauroy stadium.

Updated: March 17, 2022, 4:23 AM