Despite recording their lowest points tally after 31 games of any full Ligue 1 season since 2015/16, Marseille still have a shot at qualifying for a fifth consecutive European journey. This is especially possible if PSG win this month’s Coupe de France final and transfer their Europa League group stage ticket down the table.
A Busy Week Ahead
Marseille faces a busy week ahead as they have three games in eight days to make up for a league fixture that was postponed to assist their Europa League knockout commitments. With their current Europa League campaign coming to an end after a 3-0 loss to Atalanta in Bergamo, Marseille can now focus on making the most of their game in hand to climb up the Ligue 1 standings.
Marseille’s Home Advantage
Marseille boasts a near unbeaten home record in this Ligue 1 season, with 9 wins, 6 draws, and only 1 loss. Their only defeat at home was against champions PSG. This sets them up in an excellent position to earn a fifth consecutive head-to-head win at home against upcoming opponents Lorient.
On the other hand, Lorient has far greater issues than retaining a place in European football. They have suffered a sixth consecutive league defeat, with their latest loss being a 2-0 away defeat to Lens. This leaves them three points plus goal difference shy of the promotion-relegation play-off that comes with finishing in 16th place.
Head coach Régis Le Bris insists that the team has worked tirelessly without reward, but even he cannot deny the club’s serious defensive deficiencies. Lorient has conceded 13 goals in their last five outings, most of which came against clubs ending the weekend alongside Marseille in the top half of the standings. Therefore, Lorient may find this upcoming assignment to be difficult.
While Lorient can continue to cling onto their 2-1 win against eighth-placed Rennes as proof that they can stand up to such opponents on the road, their last away win in this competition was more than two months ago.
Players to Watch
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one of Marseille’s players to watch. He delighted the away section with a brace in Marseille’s 4-2 win at Lorient in December. Aubameyang has an impressive record against Lorient, scoring five goals in his last four Ligue 1 head-to-head matches.
Another player to watch is Benjamin Mendy, who recently made his comeback in April. Mendy was one of Lorient’s goal scorers in their previous encounter with Marseille and has since produced one assist.
Hot Stat
Seven of the last nine Ligue 1 matches involving either Marseille or Lorient have produced over 2.5 total goals. This suggests that the upcoming match between the two teams could be an exciting and high-scoring affair.
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