Both looking to secure spots in the Champions League next season, Lille and Marseille clash at Decathlon Arena for an all-important Ligue 1 battle on Sunday night.
Les Dogues managed a comfortable away success at strugglers Angers last time out, whilst Les Olympiens were handsome winners at home against Brest.
Match preview
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After finishing fourth in Ligue 1 during the 2023-24 campaign – earning a spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds – Lille are on a mission to advance directly into the League Phase this time around, with Sunday night’s hosts on course for a top-three finish domestically.
Les Dogues took another major step towards a spot in UEFA’s elite club competition last Sunday afternoon, when goals after the half-time whistle from defender Alexsandro Ribeiro and Iceland international Hakon Haraldsson secured a two-goal victory over relegation-threatened Angers.
Currently in the midst of a three-game winning streak in the top flight as the campaign reaches its dramatic conclusion, Lille are occupying third spot in the Ligue 1 standings, two points behind Marseille in second and two points ahead of fifth-placed Lyon with three games remaining.
Still with work to do in order to clinch a much-desired place in the League Phase of the Champions League, Bruno Genesio‘s side will be desperate to continue their excellent recent record at Decathlon Arena, with this weekend’s hosts winning four straight league contests in front of their own supporters.
A superstar worthy of the biggest footballing stages, Jonathan David is on course to break personal records after back-to-back 26-goal campaigns ending in 2023 and 2024, with the Canadian marksman finding the net on 25 occasions across all competitions so far in 2024-25.
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Following a sobering eighth-placed finish at the top table of French football last term, 10-time domestic champions Marseille are back competing in the upper echelons of Ligue 1, with Sunday night’s visitors to Decathlon Arena enjoying plenty of success on the South Coast in recent times.
Les Olympiens’ winning streak at Stade Velodrome extended to four top-flight battles last weekend, when 62,000 supporters witnessed an Amine Gouiri masterclass, with the 25-year-old Algerian netting a sensational hat-trick as the hosts overcame midtable side Brest by a 4-1 scoreline.
Scoring Marseille’s second goal of a productive afternoon last time out, Mason Greenwood has taken to Ligue 1 like a duck to water this season, with the former Manchester United and England youngster scoring 18 strikes and providing four assists across 31 league games.
After winning three of their most recent quartet of top-flight matches, Roberto De Zerbi‘s troops are sitting second in the Ligue 1 rankings ahead of Sunday’s trip to Lille, four points ahead of fifth-placed Lyon with only nine points up for grabs for the season’s end.
Despite only title winners Paris Saint-Germain (37) earning more than Marseille’s 27 away points this season, Les Olympiens have struggled away from Stade Velodrome in recent times, losing four straight outings in Ligue 1 by an aggregate scoreline of 12-2.
Team News
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After seeing red during the second half of the victory over Angers last weekend, Lille man Bafode Diakite will be suspended for the Marseille meeting.
The 24-year-old is set to join the likes of Ethan Mbappe (hamstring) and Tiago Santos (knee) on the sidelines, with the pair out for the remainder of the campaign.
Les Dogues are battling on without the services of a key attacker, with Kosovo international Edon Zhegrova suffering a muscle injury in December.
Marseille are unable to call upon the talents of centre-back Luiz Felipe, who picked up a rare eye injury during the middle of the March schedule.
Les Olympiens have been running short on options in net for the entire campaign, with Spaniard Ruben Blanco fighting back from a serious knee injury.
Lille possible starting lineup:
Chevalier; Meunier, Mandi, Ribeiro, Ismaily; Haraldsson, Andre, Gomes, Fernandez-Pardo; David, Akpom
Marseille possible starting lineup:
Rulli; Murillo, Balerdi, Kondogbia, Garcia; Rongier, Hojbjerg, Greenwood, Rabiot, Henrique; Gouiri
We say: Lille 2-1 Marseille
With Champions League qualification on the line, we are expecting a cagey affair between two in-form teams at Decathlon Arena on Sunday night.
Lille have been exceptional at home in recent times whilst Marseille have struggled on the road, so we are leaning towards a narrow success for Les Dogues.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
