Marseille will look to keep pace with the top teams in Ligue 1 when they visit Stade de la Meinau on Sunday to face Strasbourg.
Heading into the weekend, OM is tied for the league lead after a thrilling 3-2 win over Lyon. In contrast, Strasbourg sits in 10th place, having drawn 3-3 with Lille in their last match.
Under Liam Rosenior's leadership, Strasbourg has adopted a more aggressive and attack-minded style this season, which has had mixed results. Of their five domestic games, three have featured four or more goals, but they've only managed to win once, securing a 3-1 victory over Rennes.
Historically, the team has been tough to beat at Stade de la Meinau, going unbeaten in their last three home matches and not losing a domestic game there since April (3-1 against Nice). So far this season, Rosenior's squad has earned six points, just one fewer than his predecessor, Patrick Vieira, had at the same stage last year.
One troubling trend for Strasbourg is their inability to secure wins after taking the lead, having dropped seven points in such situations this season. A win on Sunday would mark the club's 1,000th victory across all competitions and would be their first time surpassing seven points after six Ligue 1 matches since returning to the top flight in 2017-18.
Roberto De Zerbi has made a strong start as Marseille's manager, leading the team to an unbeaten run in the league so far. They are currently tied for first place alongside Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco, each with 13 points.
Les Phoceens have scored 15 goals in their first five Ligue 1 matches, the highest total for the club at this stage since the 1954-55 season. Notably, they have earned four points from losing positions in the second half, with four of their last five goals coming after the break.
Defensively, they have only conceded once in the first half this season, which occurred during their opening match against Brest in August. Marseille's away form has been particularly impressive, with three consecutive league wins on the road something they haven't accomplished since the 2013-14 season.
They are also unbeaten in their last 17 encounters against Strasbourg in Ligue 1, although their last win at Stade de la Meinau was a 2-0 victory in December 2021.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
In their recent draw against Lille, Strasbourg was without Yoni Gomis, Moise Sahi, Thomas Delaine, and Caleb Wiley, all sidelined with knee injuries. Milos Lukovic missed the match due to illness, and Alaa Bellaarouch also sat out with a groin strain.
Despite being down by two goals, Strasbourg made a remarkable comeback with goals from Andrey Santos, Emanuel Emegha, and Sebastian Nanasi, only to concede a late penalty that Lille's Jonathan David converted.
Marseille, meanwhile, faced Lyon without Bilal Nadir, who is recovering from an ACL injury. Ruben Blanco and Faris Moumbagna were also out due to knee issues. Quentin Merlin missed another match with a thigh injury, and captain Leonardo Balerdi will be suspended after receiving two yellow cards in the opening minutes of their last game.
Goals from Pol Lirola, Ulisses Garcia, and Jonathan Rowe helped Marseille secure their victory over Lyon, and their new signing, Adrien Rabiot, is expected to be available for selection on Sunday.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Petrovic; Doue, Sow, Sylla, Moreira; Doukoure; Bakwa, Diarra, Santos, Nanasi; Emegha
Marseille possible starting lineup:
Rulli; Murillo, Cornelius, Kondogbia, Garcia; Hojbjerg, Kone; Greenwood, Harit, Henrique; Wahi
EXPERT PREDICTIONS
Strasbourg 1-2 Marseile
Both teams are aggressive and feature some strong attacking players, but Marseille has shown the ability to shift into a higher gear when it counts. That's why we’re giving them the advantage in this matchup.
