The 2017-18 campaign was a dramatic, season-long fight for survival for Lille, as Les Dogues ultimately clung to their top-flight status with a perilous 17th-place finish in Ligue 1, narrowly avoiding the relegation play-off. The year was defined by mid-season turbulence, with the "experimental" era of manager Marcelo Bielsa ending in his sacking, before Christophe Galtier took the helm to lead a desperate escape. Spearheading the attack was the emerging star Nicolas Pépé, whose crucial 13 league goals proved vital in a campaign built on sheer grit and a collective fight against the drop, a painful but defining chapter that paved the way for future success.