Lille boss Bruno Genesio urged his injury-ravaged squad to recall their past exploits in this season's Champions League as they host a Juventus side on Tuesday night led by the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Thiago Motta.
Lille sit in 15th place in the 36-team league with six points from their three games.
On 23 October they won 3-1 at Atletico Madrid. And at the beginning of the month they beat holders Real Madrid 1-0.
The feats were unexpected after they lost their opening game to Sporting 2-0.
"What I've told the players to remember is that each Champions League game is different," said the 58-year-old Frenchman.
"But what is common in all of them is that you need to concentrate and maintain your levels of intensity. It's absolutely crucial for these sorts of matches.
In the prelude to the game at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille – who have eight senior players out with injury – drew their Ligue 1 match against Lyon 1-1 to stay fourth. Juventus won 2-0 at Udinese on Saturday to move to within four points of Serie A pacesetters Napoli.
"It will be a tough match against Juventus," Genesio added. "But the games against Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid were difficult too.
"Juventus are very well organised tactically and there are a lot of players who can create something out of nothing.
"But we're at home, in front of our fans who'll give us lots of support. And what's also important is that we remember that we've beaten two top teams to get the six points.
"And if you can do it twice you've got to believe that it can be done again."
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Motta, who bossed the middle of the park for PSG between 2012 and 2018, concurred.
"I'm not surprised Lille are where they are," said the 42-year-old former Italy international.
"Bruno Genesio sends out teams who play well collectively and who can keep the ball. So I'm not impressed ... because I knew very well what he's capable of. We will have to play really well to get a result at Lille."
Monaco, the other Ligue 1 club in action on Tuesday night, boast seven points from their three games and play at Bologna.
Adi Hütter's men go into the tie in Italy on the back of two defeats in Ligue 1 which have allowed champions PSG and Marseille to surpass them.
"Of course that's been disappointing," said Monaco defender Wilfried Sinigo. "But that's football, it can happen. But if we manage to beat this Bologna team, it will boost our morale for the next matches."
In other clashes in the Champions League on Tuesday night, Real Madrid host AC Milan, the Premier League pacesetters Liverpool entertain the German champions Bayer Leverkusen and Sporting Portugal take on Manchester City.
