Benfica-Marseille is a match valid for the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals and is played Thursday at 9 p.m.: live TV, likely lineups, predictions.
The Europa League could become a lifesaver of sorts for a Benfica side that has seen both the league and the domestic cup slip from its hands in the last week. Indeed, the close double-header with city rivals Sporting ended in the worst possible way for Roger Schmidt’s team, this year nothing but the distant relative of last season’s.
A week ago Benfica failed to overturn the result of the first leg semifinal with Ruben Amorim’s green-and-whites, drawing 2-2 at the da Luz and dropping out of the competition. And Sporting got the better of it four days later, winning (2-1) the direct title clash in Liga Portugal and moving to +4 in the standings with just a few days left in the league. The only way they can lift a trophy at this point is to win the Europa League, where the red and whites were relegated after finishing third in the Champions League group last fall.
In the Marseille household, it’s pitch black again
Europa League also becoming crucial for Marseille, the Portuguese’s opponent in the quarterfinals. The situation, at home OM, has become chaotic again following four consecutive defeats.
The Phocéens, who seemed to be reborn in conjunction with the arrival of their third coach of the season, the experienced Jean-Louis Gasset, are again in great difficulty. In Ligue 1 they lost to Rennes, PSG and Lille, scoring barely one goal and conceding seven, but they also risked complicating their lives in the Europa League round of 16 with Villarreal, losing 3-1 on the return leg in Spain after dominating the first leg (4-0). In the standings Marseille is only eighth, within striking distance of fourth place and currently out of it all. Gasset in Lisbon should be able to count on Mbemba and the only absences are those of Clauss, Rongier and Nadir.
The prediction
These are two teams that are not doing so well and are practically obliged to make their way in this cup to “save” the season. Benfica does not give guarantees and is discontinuous but in the first leg match they should still take advantage of the home factor and get a positive result: at least 2 goals overall.
Benfica-Marseille likely lineups
BENFICA (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Bah, Antonio Silva, Otamendi, Aursnes; Joao Neves, Florentino; Di Maria, Rafa Silva, David Neres; Tengstedt.
MARSEILLE (4-3-3): Pau Lopez; Meité, Gigot, Balerdi, Merlin; Veretout, Kondogbia, Harit; Luis Henrique, Ndiaye, Aubameyang.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
