Nicolas Lombaerts – Zenit Saint Petersburg (04/11/2015)

Here is a collector's item of immense prestige, from the most intense evenings of the queen of European competitions. This match-worn jersey was used by the strong and iconic Belgian international defender Nicolas Lombaerts when Zenit Saint Petersburg traveled to the pitch of Olympique Lyonnais on November 4, 2015, for matchday 4 of the group stage.

Match Context: Russian Realism Douses Gerland

For this match, Hubert Fournier's OL played for their European survival against the undisputed group leader. In a Gerland stadium playing its very last continental matches before the move to Décines, tension was at its maximum.

Despite a great expenditure of energy and clear territorial dominance by Lyon, Zenit's realism was chilling. Led by the duo Hulk and Artem Dzyuba, the Russians won 0-2 thanks to a brace from the giant striker (25th, 57th). Solid at the end of the match despite the sending off of Alexandr Anyukov, Saint Petersburg's defense preserved its clean sheet. This jersey experienced from within every duel and every impact of this tactical battle that sealed the Russian club's qualification for the round of 16.

Nicolas Lombaerts: The Belgian Pillar of the Venice of the North

A true monument of the Russian club where he spent an entire decade, Nicolas Lombaerts was the undisputed leader of Zenit's central defense under André Villas-Boas.

A top-tier Belgian international (at the heart of the Golden Generation of the Red Devils), the central defender was renowned for his positional awareness, tactical rigor, and impressive aerial authority. On that November evening in 2015, he fought an incessant battle to muzzle the Lyon attackers (Alexandre Lacazette, Claudio Beauvue), tirelessly repelling the Rhône attacks. This jersey carries the sweat of that major defensive performance. An exceptional collector's item for any Champions League enthusiast.