Benfica welcomes Marseille in Lisbon this Thursday afternoon for the Europa League clash.
Match Preview
The two teams are experiencing contrasting seasons in their respective leagues. Marseille currently sits eighth in Ligue 1, marking one of their poorest campaigns in recent history after finishing third last season.
Finishing third in Ligue 1 grants entry to the Europa League, where Marseille secured a second-place finish in Group B, trailing behind Brighton & Hove Albion.
Their only group stage defeat came against the Premier League side, losing 1-0 at the AMEX Stadium in England.
To secure their spot, Marseille faced Shakhtar Donetsk in the playoffs, earning a 2-2 draw away with goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Iliman Ndiaye. They sealed the deal with a 3-1 home win, advancing with a 5-3 aggregate victory.
Despite their success in Europe, Marseille struggles domestically, currently sitting in eighth place with only 10 wins from 28 games and suffering nine defeats, including a recent four-game losing streak.
Benfica holds the second position in Liga Portugal, trailing Sporting Lisbon by four points with a game in hand.
They faced a defeat against Sporting in their previous match, conceding a late winner to Alexander Bah.
Additionally, Benfica suffered a loss to Sporting in the Taca de Portugal and narrowly advanced past Rangers in a 3-2 aggregate win, winning 1-0 away in Scotland.
Prediction & Analysis:
With both teams hungry for victory, the match is poised to be a fiercely contested battle.
We predict a closely fought encounter, with the likelihood of a draw, and anticipates over 2.5 goals in the first leg against Marseille.
- SL Benfica 2-2 Olympique Marseille
