Getting your head above water and qualifying for the Europa League semi-final is the Marseille dream. The 2-1 defeat in the first leg was difficult to digest for OM, who did not play last weekend. Faced with a Benfica experienced on the European scene, Marseille supporters are hoping for an exploit.
What if OM followed the example of its rival by qualifying this Thursday? What if Marseille followed in the footsteps of Paris Saint-Germain by creating the feat against Benfica? The desire to advance to the semi-final of the Europa League is very great in the Marseille city.
Benfica is a tough opponent for Olympique de Marseille, and its experience in Europe adds difficulty. Third in their group in the Champions League this season, the Eagles reached the quarter-finals of the premier competition in 2023. Winner 3-0 last weekend against Moreirense (6th in Liga NOS), the Portuguese club is confident . As for him, Marseille is at the bottom of the hole with 5 consecutive defeats (Benfica, Lille, Paris, Rennes, Villarreal). Despite a positive start to his mandate, Jean-Louis Gasset and his football are now short of breath.
For the compositions, Olympique de Marseille must do without several executives, such as Jonathan Clauss (muscle injury), Quentin Merlin (ankle) and Valentin Rongier (knee). These absences create a big void in the team, while Benfica will be at full strength, in addition to the injury to Portuguese defender Tomas Araujo (ankle).
Marseille-Benfica, failure or achievement: the meeting will take place this Thursday, April 18 at the Vélodrome stadium at 9 p.m. Live on Canal + Foot and M 6.