Olympique Marseille vs. Valenciennes – French Ligue 1 Preview
Ligue 1 sides Olympique Marseille and Valenciennes are due to meet on Saturday, May 21 at Stade Velodrome. The match is the penultimate game for both clubs and does not hold massive importance from the title perspective; http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lille-OSC-c39800 have virtually own the
league with Marseille only harbouring a slim mathematical chance.
Olympique Marseille
Didier Deschamps’ side are currently sitting second in the table with 66 points and have two games remaining in the current campaign including this one. Of the 36 games Marseille have played in the campaign so far, Deschamps side have secured victories in
18 of those. Their home record has been quite decent, winning 10 of those matches as compared to the eight losses.
Les Phoceens have been formidable both in front of goal and in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Defence-c38904. They have slammed in 58 goals while 35 have been scored against them. Marseille have a possible of 6 points available up their sleeves including this game and a point against Valenciennes
could well keep them in mathematical contention for the Ligue 1 title, winning them a UEFA Champions League group stages spot in the process. Les Phoceens have been inconsistent in their last five games, winning just twice. The other two games ended in draws
while the loss came against Olympique Lyon.
Valenciennes
Philippe Montanier’s side are 12th in the League table with 44 points and would desperately want to win in order to end their campaign on a high. Les Atheniens are safe from relegation and are left with two games in the current campaign.
Of the nine wins from their 36 matches, only two have come away from home to go along with the 8 losses. Valenciennes have struggled to score freely as they have scored just 41 times during the season as compared to 38 they have conceded. In their last five
games, Les Atheniens have notched up just one win to go along with the three draws. The loss came against Paris Saint-Germain in a match played on April 30.
Team News
Olympique Marseille
The home team are likely to go in with a 5-4-1 formation. Loic Remy will play as a lone striker while Ayew brothers, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Steve-Mandanda-c34177 will start in goal for the home side.
Andre-Pierre Gignac will be missing out on the club’s remaining two games with a knee injury, while midfielder Lucho http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gabriel-Heinze-c14310 and Benoit Cheyrou will be making a return to the squad.
Valenciennes
Les Atheniens are likely to go in with the a formation similar to their opponents. Gregory Pujol will start upfront in a lone striker’s role. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Steeven-Langil-c33968, and defender, Rafael
Schmitz, will not be able make it into Montanier’s line-up due to knee and back injuries respectively.
Players to Watch
Marseille would certainly rely upon the striking abilities of the French striker, Remy, who is Les Phoceens top goal scorer this season with 12 goals. The team would want the Frenchman to add to his tally as a win would leave them three points adrift of
Lille at the top.
The visitors will have their hopes pinned upon their striker, Pujol, who has 15 goals this season. The Frenchman will certainly look to increase his tally to earn his side a respectable end to this year’s campaign.
Prediction
Marseille’s home form has been very impressive, while Valenciennes’ away performances have been in stark contrast. Les Phoceens look favourites to win by a 2-0 margin.
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