Marseille-AEK Athens is a match from the third day of the Europa League group stage and is played Thursday at 6:45 p.m.: TV, lineups, predictions.
Marseille returns to face an Athens team just over two months after the Champions League preliminary round defeat to Panathinaikos. Elimination that acted as a detonator in an always potentially explosive environment and within weeks led to the resignation of coach Marcelino, who was replaced by Gennaro Gattuso.
Because of that unexpected slip-up in the Hellenic capital, Marseille found itself in the Europa League, drawn moreover in an iron group in which there are also De Zerbi’s Brighton, Ajax and the hostile Aek Athens coached by former Parma, Lazio and Inter Milan midfielder Matias Almeyda, who for now looks down on everyone thanks to the four points won in two games. The Gialloneri, champions of Greece, had already come close to qualifying for the Champions League group stage, surrendering in the final play-off to Belgium’s Antwerp. In the Europa League they debuted with a resounding success at home to Brighton, beaten 3-2 at the Amex Stadium, and later managed to avoid defeat to Ajax. Aek is fresh off two straight league victories, both 3-0, against Panetolikos and Asteras, which allowed them to move to -2 from the summit.
On the other hand, Marseille’s complicated moment continues, unable to give continuity to the fine victory they achieved against Le Havre (3-0) before the national team break.
Gigot
Gattuso on Saturday lost the Italian derby to Nice coach Francesco Farioli surrendering to the Rossoneri in the final game to Guessand’s goal (1-0). For the Provençals, it is the third defeat in the last four days of Ligue 1, a roster that for now does not allow Veretout and his teammates to make significant progress in the standings (Marseille is eighth). The former Milan and Napoli coach will surely need time to rebuild, and Olympique’s rebirth also passes through the Europa League: an elimination would make noise.
The prediction
There was no lack of goals and spectacle in the two matches played in the Europa League by Marseille, which first drew 3-3 with Ajax and then 2-2 with Brighton. From this point of view, the match with Aek Athens should not leave anything to be desired either, which should at least manage to score a goal at the Velodrome.
The likely lineups of Marseille-AEK Athens
- MARSEILLE (4-3-3): Blanco; Murillo, Mbemba, Balerdi, Renan Lodi; Veretout, Rongier, Harit; Ndiaye, Aubameyang, Sarr.
- AEK ATHENS (4-2-3-1): Stankovic; Sidibe, Vida, Mitoglou, Hajsafi; Szymanski, Amrabat; Eliasson, Mantalos, Zuber; Araujo.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-2
