Dis Saturday evening, Marseille go travel to Stade du Moustoir for Ligue 1 action. Na di first time since 2023 wey dem go face Lorient for Brittany. Marseille dey fourth for table, but dem dey chase automatic Champions League spot. Lorient dey ninth after dem lose 2-0 to Lyon last week.
For Lorient side, di chance to play for Europe next season don almost finish. Dem dey 12 points behind Rennes for sixth place with only five matches remain. But coach Olivier Pantaloni still get something to fight for. If dem win dis match, dem go officially secure dia place for top-flight next season.
Lorient no dey consistent lately. Dem no win two of dia last three league matches, and dem score just one goal or less for each of dose games. But for home ground, dem strong pass. Dem never lose any top-flight match dis year for dia stadium. Dem even beat Lens 2-1 for March, and Lens dey among top four teams.
Marseille own case different. Dem just win 3-1 against Metz last week, but dia form no steady. Dem lose two of dia last three league matches. Habib Beye men dey one point below Lille for dat last automatic Champions League spot. Di pressure dey high.
Marseille away form worry dem. Dem drop points for four of dia last five away matches. More than half of dia goals conceded dis year (12 of 23) happen away from Stade Velodrome. Dem don allow opponents score multiple goals five times for away matches.
Injury wahala dey for both teams. For Lorient, Montassar Talbi get calf strain, Isaak Toure get knock, Laurent Abergel ankle dey worry am, Theo Le Bris hamstring no good. Mohamed Bamba dey recover from illness, Arsene Kouassi suspended. Marseille side, Nayef Aguerd get groin strain, CJ Egan-Riley muscle soreness, Geoffrey Kondogbia thigh injury.
But Marseille get firepower. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Igor Paixao and Hamed Traore all score last week. Dem dey confident. Marseille never lose to Lorient for 13 straight league matches. Dem win di last three encounters.
Lorient possible starting lineup: Mvogo; Meite, Faye, Adjei; Silva, Cadiou, Avom, Fadiga; Makengo, Pagis; Dieng. Marseille possible: Rulli; Pavard, Balerdi, Medina; Weah, Hojbjerg, Nadir, Paixao; Greenwood, Gouiri; Aubameyang.
Di match go tough. Lorient dey play like team wey no get much to lose. Marseille need win to keep Champions League hope alive. Di desperation plus dia attacking players fit make difference.
For other Saturday matches, Angers face Le Havre. Angers dey four points ahead and need just one win to secure survival. Le Havre away form poor – dem only get seven points from away matches all season. Lille meet Nice. Lille dey in best form for Ligue 1, dem win four straight matches. Nice dey struggle, dem get just one win for dia last five games.
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