Marseille face Olympiacos in a crucial UEFA Europa League clash at the Stade Velodrome on Thursday night as the Ligue 1 side seek their first points of the league phase.
Les Phoceens were comprehensively beaten 4-1 by Besiktas on matchday one and currently sit 32nd in the standings, leaving little margin for error now.
Bruno Genesio’s side finally halted a miserable run of five consecutive defeats in all competitions with a 2-0 win at Troyes on Sunday, but several key players remain out with injury.
Olympiacos, by contrast, have made a strong start both domestically and in the Europa League under Imanol Alguacil.
The Greek giants opened their league-phase campaign with a 2-1 victory over Jagiellonia Bialystok before backing that up with consecutive Super League wins against Levadiakos and fierce rivals Panathinaikos.
Olympiacos have looked organised, resilient and difficult to break down, qualities that could prove decisive against a Marseille side still searching for consistency.
Marseille v Olympiacos Tips Summary
Best Bet - Olympiacos draw no bet @ 6/5
Alternative Bet - Armando Gonzalez to score or assist @ 1/1
Bet Builder - Olympiacos or draw double chance, Both teams to score, Jota Silva 3+ shots & Armando Gonzalez 2+ shots on target @ 25/4
Marseille v Olympiacos Prediction
Best Bet: Olympiacos draw no bet @ 6/5
Olympiacos look overpriced to claim all three points in Marseille given the contrasting form of the two clubs over the past month.
While Marseille ended their losing streak against Troyes, one victory is not enough to erase the concerns created by the preceding five straight defeats.
The French giants remain down in 13th place in Ligue 1 after collecting only six points from six league matches and were badly exposed defensively during their defeat to Besiktas in Turkey last month.
Injuries have also limited Genesio's options, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Derek Cornelius among those expected to miss out again.
Olympiacos arrive with considerably more momentum after winning seven of their last nine games in all competitions and tasting defeat only once since August in a 1-0 loss to OFI Crete - a match they dominated.
They avoided defeat in 90 minutes in both legs of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie against NEC and will prove difficult to beat in France, too.
Their recent 1-0 derby triumph over Panathinaikos was achieved despite playing part of the second half with 10 men following Manolis Saliakas' dismissal.
That result highlighted the discipline and defensive resilience that Alguacil has instilled in the squad.
Although they are not without problems of their own, particularly with leading striker Ayoub El Kaabi sidelined through injury, Olympiacos have enough creativity through Konstantinos Fortounis, Jota Silva and Chiquinho to trouble a Marseille backline that has shipped 12 goals in their last six games.
With Olympiacos unbeaten in their last three matches and Marseille still lacking confidence despite Sunday's win, the draw no bet market appeals most.
Alternative Bet: Armando Gonzalez to score or assist @ 1/1
Armando Gonzalez looks set to start up front after being kept on the bench against Panathinaikos at the weekend.
The Mexican marksman has scored four goals and assisted two more in his last six games for Olympiacos and should have recharged his batteries fully following a busy international break.
Marseille v Olympiacos Bet Builder Tip
Olympiacos or draw double chance
Both teams to score
Jota Silva 3+ shots
Armando Gonzalez 2+ shots on target
Pays 25/4
Backing Olympiacos to win or draw looks a good option for this Bet Builder based on the form of the two clubs and the match also has plenty of potential for goals at both ends.
Marseille's defensive issues have been apparent throughout the campaign, conceding four goals against Besiktas and shipping multiple goals during several matches in their recent losing streak.
However, the French side still possess attacking quality through Amine Harit, Igor Paixao and Amine Gouiri.
Olympiacos have found the net in each of their last four competitive fixtures and created enough chances to beat both Jagiellonia and Panathinaikos.
Jota Silva registered six shots against the Polish outfit and had three attempts against Panathinaikos, so looks a good candidate to try his luck three or more times again.
Combine those selections with Gonzalez, who had two shots on target against Jagiellonia, to match or better that output in France.
Learn more about how Bet Builders work in our Bet Builder guide.
Key Match Stats
Marseille lost their opening Europa League match 4-1 away to Besiktas
Marseille suffered five consecutive defeats before beating Troyes 2-0 on Sunday
Olympiacos have won their last three matches in all competitions
Olympiacos opened their Europa League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Jagiellonia
Marseille sit 32nd in the Europa League table after matchday one
Olympiacos have won two of their last three matches against Marseille
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
