Paris, Mar 12 (AP) Defending champion Lille drew 0-0 at home to improving Saint-Etienne in the French league and lost key midfielder Renato Sanches to injury.

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The Portugal international went off midway through the first half on Friday with a left thigh injury. He is doubtful for the Champions League match at home to defending champion Chelsea on Wednesday, with Lille trailing 2-0 from the first leg in the round of 16.

It was a fifth league game in a row for Lille without conceding a goal but also a missed opportunity to move closer to fourth place and an automatic Europa League spot.

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Lille is three points behind fourth-place Rennes, having played an extra game.

Saint-Etienne coach Pascal Dupraz is continuing the club's improvement and the draw moved Les Verts up to 16th spot ahead of this weekend's games. AP

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)