Tottenham-Marseille is a match valid for the first day of the group stage of the Champions League and is played on Wednesday at 21:00
TOTTENHAM – MARSEILLE
Antonio Conte returns to the Champions League, a competition in which – as a coach – he has never managed to achieve great satisfaction. In his various experiences on the benches of Juventus, Chelsea and Inter, the coach from Salento has always had great difficulty in getting through the group stage. And when he did, he never got too far.
NIn 2020 he came close to a European triumph with the Nerazzurri, losing in the final to Sevilla, but it was ‘only’ the Europa League. He will try again at the helm of Tottenham, a club he took over last autumn. For Spurs it is a welcome return to the most important international event after a few years of purgatory. They qualified at the end of an exciting head-to-head with arch-rivals Arsenal, who were mocked at the very last breath last spring. A feat that, until a few months before, perhaps not even the most optimistic fan would have been able to predict. And which confirms the incredible impact – especially from the point of view of mentality – of the Italian coach on a group that seemed unable to return to the levels of Pochettino’s management. Fate has also been kind to the Londoners: despite starting in the second tier, they are the favourites in Group D, which also includes Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille and Sporting CP. Spurs are off to a strong start in the Premier League: the only ones together with reigning champions Manchester City who are still undefeated, they have so far totalled four wins and two draws, leaving no chance for anyone in their home games.
A roster that for now is worth second place behind the leading Arsenal. In the Champions League Conte will make his debut against Igor Tudor’s Marseille, his old team-mate from his Juventus days. The former Verona coach could not have started his adventure in France in a better way. After six rounds of Ligue 1, Payet and his teammates are at the top of the standings, arm in arm with the battleship Psg. The haul is 16 points, the result of five wins and one draw. In their last three matches, Marseille have always kept their goals unbeaten.
Tudor
The Prediction
Tottenham will try to set the record straight against one of the most fearsome and potentially tough opponents in the round. Spurs are doing well in the league, in front of their own public they have an extra gear and should not miss the appointment with victory. At the same time, we hypothesise a solid and shrewd performance by Marseille, which seems to have already assimilated the ideas of its new coach. It would not be a surprise if the total goals at the end were less than four. The first half could end in a draw.
The Tottenham v Marseille likely line-up
- TOTTENHAM (3-4-3): Lloris; Romero, Dier, Davies; Emerson Royal, Højbjerg, Bentancur, Perišić; Kulusevski, Son, Kane.
- MARSEILLE (3-4-3): Pau López; Mbemba, Bailly, Gigot; Clauss, Rongier, Gerson, Nuno Tavares; Ünder, Suárez, Payet.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
